Falling For Him
by It's-A-Passion
Summary: Thea's just gotten comfortable at Charles Xavier's school. And then Logan returns. He's alluring, sexy and a teacher, which puts him in the 'forbidden' category, and completely off limits. Thea's a smart girl - she understands this, but no one ever told her that you can't always choose who you fall for. And she's definitely falling for him. A Wolverine x OC story
1. Chapter 1

"What are we fighting for?" I screamed and spun around heavily.

I felt my eyes widen involuntary and they glazed over until I was seeing, but I wasn't. Colours, shapes, they were there. But no lines, no boundaries, nothing to stop one colour mixing with another. How did it make the distinction between one and the other? When did the lines become so blurred? My mind reached out and objects moved around me, without me even toughing them. Erratic, dizzying, confusing movements, like the torment inside my head. No more. I couldn't take anymore. Death. Destruction. Violence. Blood. Pain. Please, no more. Rough ragged breaths seared my throat. My chest heaved and the exertion was too much to bear.

"Look at us. We fight for them, against our own kind, we are dying for them. What do we gain? They want to fix us and when there's retaliation, we protect them? They want to stomp us out and here we are, standing between our own and them. Whose side are we on? One day everyone will be like us, they can't stop evolution." Suddenly, my vision sharpened and I saw everything clearly again. Rocks, twisted metal, dirt was all flying around me still. With each word, it moved faster and faster. My body tingled and I've never felt more powerful then I felt right then. My muscles were tensed so tightly, my senses hyper-aware.

"Do you know why they fear us? It's because they're not at the top of the food chain anymore. We are. And look at them. They hurt us because of something we have no control over. Something that make us different. When is that okay? When did they decide that? I don't know what I'm doing anymore," my voice was loud, but quiet, strong but soft. It was magnified across the field of bodies. Death and destruction. A battlefield.

Jubilee, Bobby, Kitty, Rogue, Colossus, Storm, Jean, Scott and Xavier stood in front of me, listening. Their eyes never left me. We stood in unison, we were a team, we acted like it. They were my family and friends. But what were we fighting? I'd lost control and I didn't know how to get it back.

"I don't know who I am anymore," I whispered. "When did this become me?"

Was this what I am? A killer? A destructor? No, no it's not me. But if it isn't, then who am I? When did everything get so indistinct, distorted? When did it change? When did I? I can't take it anymore. No more. No more. It has to stop; this hate, this anger, this fear. It had to stop otherwise it would consume me. And if it did, I don't know if I'll make it back to myself. It was time for me to leave the battleground. To leave the warzone.

The tension in my body grew until it became palpable. All I could think was how I wanted it to stop. Gold energy emanated from me, swirling around my body, churning, covering me like a cocoon. Building. Getting stronger. It was a part of me, who I was, and for a second I wanted to pull it back into my body. But I couldn't. I had to stop this, all of it. And then it burst from me in a rush and I gasped. It rippled out from me, radiating from me. Wave after wave of energy. Pulsating, shimmering, fluid gold, stretching away from me and washing over everything. I reached out a hand and watched it, feather like, wrap and twirl around my fingers. It was my essence.

The last strands snapped away from my body and I felt drained. No longer powerful. No longer anything. I was nothing. I gasped again and swayed, my knees buckling. I fell to the ground, my head slapping the dirt. I breathed heavily and dust blew up in a cloud before settling.

I was no longer anything, but who I was was everywhere.

Black dots coloured my vision and the edges greyed and darkened. My body was dying. My breathing was loud in my ears and my heart worked furiously to keep me alive. But it was no use. My vision faded until I wasn't sure if my eyes were opened or not. My breathing slowed and my heart stopped.

It had to be done.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so i know this chapter was a little confusing... It's meant to be :)<strong>

**Anyway, what did you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

I snapped back to consciousness faster than I thought I could. My eyes flew open and I gasped. Three pairs of eyes stared back at me. I didn't realise till then that I was panting. I sat up and my hand flew to my neck; I felt the slickness of my feverous skin, coated in sweat, and the erratic pounding of my pulse just beneath my fingers. Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Jesus Christ," Jubilee said. "You scared the crap out of us!"

My tongue felt like sandpaper in my mouth. "What happened?" I rasped out.

"You were dreaming," Kitty whispered, her hair delicately mused, eyes wide, like she had been woken abruptly.

I moistened my tongue, "Dreaming?" _It had felt so real._

That was when I looked around me. Jubilee's bedside light was on, throwing shadows around the dorm room. _Dorm room._ Not a battlefield. No blood, no corpses. The floor was covered in plush cream coloured carpet, not littered with trash and dirt and metal. There was no death, no destruction. Bits of ash weren't swirling around, the metallic, coppery smell of blood wasn't thick in the air. It wasn't eerily quiet, hushed. It was just my dorm room, not a warzone. Moonlight filtered through the window beside me. The red neon of the alarm clock told me it was three in the morning. I let my breath in a rush and pushed my damp hair off my forehead. The strength left me and I collapsed back on my bed.

"Dreaming?" Jubilee asked incredulously, glaring at Kitty.

"It was more like a nightmare," Rogue told me.

"Yes, nightmare," Jubes said pointedly at Kitty. "You were thrashing about and moaning. We tried, but we couldn't wake you. We were about to go get help when you woke up."

"Oh," I said.

"Oh?" Jubes said, her disbelief directed at me this time. "That's all you're are going to say? You scared me half to death," She huffed. "I swear, you just cut at least ten years off my life."

Rogue gently prodded Jubes just under her ribcage. "Don't be so dramatic," she chided, and I was glad for it. I didn't have the energy to defend myself or explain. Her wide brown eyes turned to me, "Are you okay?"

I nodded weakly. Strength slowly flowed back through me, "Yeah."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Not really," I said. First I had to understand it myself.

"Okay, well if you're all right, I'm going to go back to sleep. We still have school in the morning," Kitty said, smoothing out her pink pyjama shirt.

"Sorry I woke you," I said.

"It's okay," Rogue said, and they returned to their beds, pulling the sheets over themselves. Jubilee scrutinised me. I smiled at her, hoping she would deem me sane, and go to bed. She huffed again, and slid under her covers. She switched off her light and the room was plunged into darkness, save for the silvery moonlight.

They fell asleep quickly. I didn't. Sleep evaded me. My body demanded I sleep but my mind refused. With each passing second I didn't slip into unconsciousness, I became more awake. I tossed and turned, kicking the sheets off before drawing them back up again. Before I knew it, the clock read quarter past four. I settled back in my bed, finding a comfortable position and told myself that when I closed my eyes, I would fall asleep. I would get another couple hours of sleep.

I closed my eyes and saw the images flash past; hauntingly unforgettable.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"I'm telling you guys, it was the weirdest dream I've ever had," I said, a little frustrated. "It's been driving me crazy the whole day."

"Are you _sure_ it wasn't a premo?" Rogue asked.

"Uh, premo?" Kitty asked, confused.

"_Premonition_. Please try to keep up Kitty," Jubilee impatiently said.

I frowned, "I'm sure. It was nothing like any of the other premonitions I've had."

"Well, what about memories? Remember when you dreamed one of my memories? It was weird, like you were actually there," Jubilee suggested.

"No, that's just it; I _was_ the person in my dream. I keep telling you, it's not a premonition or a memory or a telepathic thought or linked to an emotion. It was purely me," I stated, for what I was hoping was the last time.

Jubilee sighed; she hated it when something couldn't be solved quickly. I watched her paint my toenails a delicate shade of lilac. This was all so complicated. But when I looked at my friends, trying to piece this puzzle together with me, I felt happy. Ever since coming to Xavier's school for the 'gifted', I had felt happier than I had in the last three years. I was surrounded by people who were like me, who understood.

We sat in our room, on the polished hard-wood floor as Jubilee had declared that we needed pedicures and had proceeded to take out a huge collection of nail polish. She had every shade of every colour imaginable. To be honest, some of them looked to be the same colour, the subtle differences lost on me. It was days like this that made me glad I was assigned the last bed in the room shared by Kitty, Rogue and Jubes. Jubilee squinted in concentration as she carefully applied a layer of purple to my big toe.

In the five months I'd been here, they had become my friends and my family. Kitty ran a hand through her shoulder-length wavy chestnut hair. She was what I thought a girly-girl to be like, as opposed to Jubilee who I would classify as glamorous, and Rogue who I see as a bit of a tomboy. They each had mutations like me; Jubilee was a bit like a firework – she could project pyrotechnic energy, Kitty could phase through objects – she could become intangible and turn objects she's in contact with intangible as well, and Rogue had deadly skin – she could absorb memories, skills and abilities, but in doing so she drains your life energy.

Rogue was staring down at her gloved hands before she glanced up at me. "Maybe the dream was supposed to mean something," She said.

I thought about that before nodding, "You're right. Dreams were often thought by many ancient civilisations to mean something. It wouldn't be surprising if this was the case here, especially seeing as it's linked to me," I grumbled. Sometimes I hated my gift and sometimes I loved it. We had a love-hate relationship.

"So, what does it mean then?" Kitty asked.

"Well," Jubilee smacked some gum. "Maybe it signifies how you were feeling at the time. What did you say you kept thinking during it?"

"That I had to stop 'it'."

"And what is 'it'?" She asked.

"I don't know; there were dead bodies everywhere, there was a lot of blood, so I'm guessing I wanted to stop the fighting. The whole thing was confusing," I sighed. "Oh, wait, I remember thinking that I didn't know who I was anymore."

"Well, that clears everything up," Jubilee said sarcastically.

I wriggled my toes at her; "Come on, dream interpretation is fun."

"Yeah, about as much fun as poking a sharp stick at a grizzly bear," she muttered.

I rolled my eyes at her, "Well, maybe this dream just signifies that my life has changed. You know, now that I'm embracing my gift instead of trying to supress it."

There was silence as Jubilee started to paint the toes on my next foot. I hoped that it wouldn't involuntarily twitch again; I didn't want another scolding from Jubilee.

"Hmm, should I use the 'rose pink' or 'sky blue' nail polish? Which one looks better?" Kitty asked.

I glanced over at her and looked at the two bottles of colour before looking at Kitty. "Well, I always thought that pink was your colour," I told her by way of an answer.

Her head snapped up, eyes widening and mouth dropping open. "She didn't say anything, Thea," Rogue said carefully.

I winced, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I thought I was getting better at this. Your mental voice is very loud, though."

"It's fine," Kitty said soothingly.

"Yeah, get over it chica, you have an amazing power," Jubilee said. "Now where did I put the paper towel?" she looked around the room and spotted it sitting on her pillow. She sighed, dramatically heaving and puffing as she slowly pulled herself upright. I grinned and looked at the roll of paper. Concentrating on the object, I touched in with part of my gift. My skin tingled lightly as I commanded the object to defy gravity and lift into the air without assistance. It sped towards Jubes, smacking her in the face. Kitty giggled and Rouge laughed, her southern belle accent clear even in her laughter.

"See? Amazing power," She said. The soft, barely-there tingles disappeared as I reapplied the boundaries inside my mind. It took no effort and didn't leave me feeling drained and weak like the way I feel after a powerful premonition. Some things took more energy, more power than others. I thought of my gift as a 'mind power'. I could do just about anything with my mind if I thought about it, practised it and concentrated to no end. But the mind was a complicated thing so it wasn't uncommon for me to be assaulted with the onslaught of a pounding headache. Nor was it uncommon for it to take a lot of trying to get something right.

I rolled my eyes at her again before frowning. "I think it's getting stronger."

"If you've been supressing it then I guess it's not really surprising. Maybe it just hasn't fully matured yet," Rogue said.

"Yeah," Kitty nodded. "It took me almost a whole year for mine to mature."

"There, all done chica," Jubilee said, a self-satisfied look on her face. I looked down at my purple toes; they looked expertly painted – not a bit of the polish was on my skin. I wriggled them and smiled happily.

"Thanks," I told her before standing up and looking around the room. It was a nice room with four single beds, one in each corner and a bedside table next to each. My bed was farthest from the door and closest to the window, which was good. I liked being next to a window. There were purple sheets on my bed and there were books piled around my section of the room. Jubilee had yellow sheets, Kitty had pink sheets and Rogue had green sheets. Not for the first time I was noticing a pattern and theme with these colours.

"Remember, we're going shopping tomorrow," Jubes said and I groaned. Jubilee insisted on going shopping every second weekend. She had missed the last shopping weekend because of a cold and was raring to go tomorrow. I had a feeling it was going to be an all-day-shop-till-you-can't-feel-you're-feet-anymore-athon.

"Shouldn't we be studying? I have an essay on the American Civil War for history and a lab report for Biology. Not to mention the mountain of work I have to catch up on still and the homework from math," I pleaded. It wasn't that I didn't like shopping, I did, I just wasn't in the mood. I needed more time to process what this dream meant.

"_Puh-leeze_, you and I both know that you've probably finished, spell checked and triple checked your essay _and_ report," Jubes said.

"Yeah, and I remember that you finished the math homework in the library the afternoon that Mr Summers gave it to us," Rogue added.

"As for the catch-up work, you're so smart you probably already know all of it," Kitty said sweetly.

I sighed, "Fine. I'll go. And I don't know all of it," I said to Kitty. "But you're sweet to think so."

"Says every teachers dream student, who has only been here a couple months and is already getting straight A's," Rogue grinned.

I shook my head at her, "Just because I actually do the assigned work," I said pointedly. Her grin widened.

Kitty groaned, "I don't know how you do it! That essay is killing me."

I frowned, "If you need help, you only have to ask," I reminded her.

"I know," she sighed. "I've just been putting off writing it for weeks, and now it's due in, like, three days."

"Well, maybe you're the one who should be staying here to write it then," I grinned.

"No way! And miss out on the shopping?" She gasped.

"Relax, I was kidding," I smiled. "Besides, I think Jubes would drag you there by your hair even if you _wanted_ to stay."

"Got that right," Jubilee said seriously, nodding her head. Her hair was cut in a pixie-cut and was spiked up around her head; it didn't move an inch as she nodded.

I walked over to the window and pushed the panes out, closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath of fresh air. Our window looked down at the front gate to the school, way off in the distance. It really was a beautiful school; the grounds were huge and there was a wood off to my left, behind the basketball court. There was ivy growing up the slightly crumbled brick exterior. I leant out further, placing my hand on the sill. I always felt calmer when I was closer to being outside; there was something about the air that just made me content.

But then the window wasn't enough. I wanted to be outside fully. To feel the air completely around me, to feel the sense of space and freedom. As always, the woods called to me. And today, I answered that call.

I turned around, telling my friends that I was going for a walk.

"If you give me a sec, we'll come with you," Rogue said, but I shook my head.

"No, you guys stay here. I'll be back soon." I walked out the door before they could say anything else. I liked to be alone when I was in the woods. Whenever someone came with me they were always too loud. Their footsteps echoed through the trees and their breathing was deafening. I liked the silence of the wood, but it wasn't a complete silence – if you listened really closely you could hear the animals moving about, communicating with one another in their own languages, the leaves in the trees would rustle with the wind. It was almost another world.

I walked through the corridors to the stairs, trailing my hand lightly over the railing. I pushed the heavy wooden door and stepped out. It was getting darker, the sun was setting. The air was cooling and I shivered at the abrupt temperature change, rubbing my hands over my bare arms before walking along the gravel of the front drive, towards the woods.

There was a small patch of wild flowers growing just off to my right and I walked over to them, bending down to pick one up.

I froze.

I felt it building in my mind and in a moment it would take over my mind. _Not a premonition,_ I sighed. First the dream last night, and now this. Couldn't I have a break?

In the next moment, it hit me full force and I was yanked away from my reality. My five senses stopped working as they were dominated by my sixth sense; I could no longer smell the light fragrance of ivy as it mixed with the cool touch of the air. I could no longer see the oranges and pinks and yellows spill over the horizon in a last attempt to stay above it. I could no longer hear the faint chirping of birds in the distant woods. For just a moment, I was suspended in nothingness. This was the best bit of the premonition; the nothingness. It was just so…calm. So peaceful. But it never lasted more than a couple of seconds.

In the next instant, I was surrounded by noisy white light, so bright. Painfully bright. Then the images came. It was worst when it was a visual premonition. I saw every miniscule detail; they etched themselves into my mind. I saw more than anyone should. Visual premonitions were always more powerful, always demanded more from me. I often had a headache after one.

Sometimes the premonition came to me as words, sometimes I would be overpowered by a certain smell, sometimes I felt something, a touch, and sometimes it was a taste. And sometimes it was a mix. It was so real, it never ceased to amaze me that no one else was aware of it.

The first thing I noticed was the sound.

_An motorbike was flying along, the engine an aggressive purr as the rider pushed it hard. The bike was black with silver handle bars. They glinted in the dying sunlight. There was no muffler and the exhaust was deafening. The road flew beneath the tyres as the Harley covered the distance easily._

_Tress flew by – pines, oaks – in blurs of green and brown, a variety of shades, a barrage of foliage and life. The bike became louder as the rider pushed it even harder, faster. The vibrations were visible, the rumble loud._

_The rider was handsome. He was a large man, in the sense that he was muscular in every way. He oozed strength and raw power of the physical sense. If he stood, he would undoubtedly tower over people. There was a menace, a threat to him that would terrify people. He would no doubt attract a lot of attention. _

_He had a strong jawline that was partly covered in short lengths of hair, not dissimilar to fur, that ran the length of his sideburns to half way to his chin. His lips looked rough. _He _looked rough. His brown hair was whipped back as he rode along. He had hooded brown, almost black, eyes and thick eyebrows. There was something vaguely…primal about him. A worn brown leather jacket flapped in the wind, unzipped._

_His strong hands gripped the handles as he held the clutch to change gears, slowing down, and turned onto a wide driveway. But not by much. Not much would scare him. There was an iron gate ahead, well maintained, but there were barely noticeable specks of rust. It must have rained recently._

_The rider slowed and came to halt at a keypad. Quick as a flash, he punched in the code. The gate rattled to the side. The rider was driving through before the gate was even halfway open. Gravel flew up behind him. He followed the gravel driveway, trees on either side of him. More blurs of green and brown. The rider was slowing as a immense building came into view. A mansion, weathered with age. Classical. There were ivy vine growing up the bricks._

_Up ahead, there was a girl. She was bent halfway at the knees, hand outreached towards a flower patch. She didn't move. The rider frowned in what could have been confusion, annoyance or indifference. Maybe all three._

_The rider drew closer. The girl had hip-length brown wavy hair. The breeze made it dance. She was petite, but there was a fullness, roundness about her figure that was distinctly womanly. Her face was frozen in a mask of blankness, like she was somewhere else, her pert lips were parted ever so slightly._

_Her eyes were a luminescent purple._

Snap! I was back to myself, the premonition finished. My leg muscle screamed from being in a half squatting position for too long. I automatically straightened up. My mind pounded, thumped and throbbed, so loud in my ears. It was painful. My head spun, the world was moving at a dizzying spin, and I felt my muscles just give out. A motorbike rolled to a stop near me, but I couldn't concentrate on it. My vision faded out.

Then I fainted.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so i know it was a little anti-climatic... I didn't really know where i was going with it till just before i wrote this chapter.<strong>

**I still want to know what you thought about it though. I hope it wasn't too big of a disappointment.**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3

A small groan escaped my lips as I slowly regained consciousness. A mattress was underneath my back, but it was thin and extremely uncomfortable. A damp washcloth was placed over my eyes, blocking out any light. The room smelled sterile and the smell was sharp, only adding to my discomfort. I reached up and removed the washcloth, using the same hand to shutter my eyes from the light. I winced and suddenly, my mind was everywhere.

_Oh, my God-_

_Just one more shot-_

_What does "acquiesce" mean?-_

_Who was that-_

_He's back-_

_Logan's back-_

_Mr. Rockin' bod-_

My mind jumped from mind to mind, out of my control, as my powers went haywire. Objects around me lifted into the air, some moved, some didn't. With a yank, I was pulled into somebody's mind, and I wandered down their memory corridors, unintentionally opening doors and glimpsing inside. Suddenly, another premonition hit me, an oratory one. I smelt a seductive fragrance of something husky, woodsy and very masculine. It was amazing. But then the premonition disappeared and emotions trickled into me, beneath my skin and flashing through me until I was ecstatic one moment, worried the next, then sad, depressed, anxious, bubbly, content, angry, excited. Flash after flash until I felt a strong sense of whiplash.

Distantly, I heard someone growl out a "Kid?" but it was muted, like I was listening to the voice from under water. Funny, I hadn't even realised there was anyone in the room with me. Then the sound of water rushed through my ears and I forgot about the voice.

There was so much information being progressed into my mind, pushing through; a barrage that left me gasping. I sat upright and my hands flew to the sides of my head, pressing hard, as if the physical touch of compression could quell the mental bombardment. When my eyes flew open, I glimpsed people's auras, even through the walls and ceiling, which was unusual. Bursts of colour caught my attention. Red. Blue. Fuchsia. Green. Magenta. Mauve. Flash. Flash. Flash. Colour. Colour. Colour. They were so bright, they nearly blinded me. Above me, in front, behind me. Everywhere. I snapped my eyes shut again.

"Someone's coming, kid," I heard a voice say and vaguely I realised it was the same voice as before. Rough. Growly. Sexy.

Desperately, I tried to concentrate, to find my centre and force my powers back into the corner of my mind where they usually reside. The thrumming and throbbing inside my head made it near impossible. The power rushed through my body, everywhere, so I could hardly get a grip on it. Every time I did, it would slip out or flow away. I felt my body heat up, growing hotter and hotter until I felt the flames leap on my skin, the elemental power surfacing. The flames danced down my shoulder, onto my arms, to my wrists, to my fists which were now clenched in the sheet on my bed. Suddenly the sheet caught fire, spreading quickly. The wind around me whipped up quickly, making the fire leap higher.

"Fuck," I heard the voice say again, louder this time. Closer. Big hands began patting me, trying to put out the fire. I shook my head, knowing it wouldn't stop with just that, that the person should stop themselves, before they burn away all their skin. My veins and arteries felt like they were scorching, but it wasn't painful. Along with the scorch, power rushed through me. It was overwhelming, and other people's thoughts kept coming into my mind. I felt like I had no control, I couldn't stop it. The same big hands grasped the tops of my arms, the fingers wrapping around and overlapping onto the thumbs, and shook me.

My eyes snapped open and locked instantly with a pair of black ones. As I stared, I could only see black. I frowned, what was black again? Thoughts and sensations not my own pummelled me making my own thoughts disjointed and vague. Black wasn't a colour. It absorbed all colours, all light, mixing together to make black. Taking colour away. Dark and nothing. Cold. I felt my hands turn up towards the ceiling and I knew water began forming in my palm, swirling into a ball, cooling me. It felt like there was a trickling river bed just underneath my skin, cooling the fire. Steam billowed up and the water leaked out onto the mattress, putting out the fire there. The water was soothing, as I stared at the black eyes, and distantly I felt rumbles and vibrations in the ground I wasn't aware of before, die away. The wind around me picked up, whipping my now damp hair around my face, but I barely noticed. All I could see was black eyes.

"Jesus, kid," the voice said. I caught a whiff of the scent I smelt before; the woodsy, husky smell that was delicious. Goosebumps rose on my arms.

And then, just like that, I gathered the power rushing through my body into a ball, making it smaller and smaller, until I could move it to focus it in my mind. I held it there, sweat trickling down my face, my gaze never shifting from the black eyes. I felt a lock go down on the ball and walls came up, holding it there.

I let out a breath, and all the strength I had, left with it, draining me. My shoulders dropped and I didn't even have the energy to stay sitting up. I collapsed back onto the charred remains of the mattress, a fuzzy haze overtaking me, diluting everything.

I'd never used my powers like that, and for a second time, I fainted.

I welcomed the soothing black of unconsciousness.

….

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that my headache was gone, my head no longer throbbing. My power was still in a ball, in the back of my mind. The second thing was that I wasn't on the charred mattress and sheets anymore. It was a hospital bed, uncomfortable as ever, but it wasn't scorched and singed. The third thing was that I couldn't find the black eyes.

I heard the beeping of a monitor next to my right ear as it recorded my heart beat. Jean walked over, her heals clacking against the tiles, echoing in the spotless and sterile medical lab that belonged to her. Her red hair was pulled up in a clip and she had her glasses on as she smiled at me.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, glancing at the monitor.

"Better," I croaked, realising for the first time that my throat was parched and burning. Jean poured some water into a plastic cup and handed it to.

"Drink it slowly," she commanded. "You'll have to slowly add more water back into your system. I assume you used quite a bit when you tried to burn the mansion and then tried to put it out," she smiled, attempting a joke. I smiled sheepishly at her.

"It was an accident," I croaked again, between sips. She nodded understandingly.

"Well, I think you freaked Logan out, but it seems all your vital signs are back to normal. I'll keep you hear a little while, just to monitor you as you readjust your body to the water intake, but hopefully you should get to go back to your own bed tonight," she said, looking at the machines and bits of paper.

"Okay. Who's Logan?" I asked.

She chuckled absentmindedly, "He was here when you went off the charts. He was also the one who brought you in here originally. He said you fainted," she said questioningly.

"Uh, yeah, I had a strong premonition and it just drained me," I explained. I was glad to hear my voice was less raspy.

"Okay. Well, Logan is a…on and off professor here," she said dryly.

I nodded, even though I didn't understand. "Okay."

Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door, followed by a few polite knocks, and a couple quiet ones. Jean sighed.

"Open up," a familiar voice called. "I know she's awake, I can hear her."

"Jubilee," Kitty admonished before saying through the door, "Please."

"Can you let us in _please_," Jubilee called again, sweetly. I heard Rogue laugh.

"Yeah, can we please come in?" she called. Jean had walked to the door, opening it just as Rogue said this. They hurried over, sporting similar expressions of worry, surprise, annoyance, and when they saw me sitting up, relief.

"God, I thought you were dead!" Jubes said dramatically. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"What she means is: we were worried when you didn't return yesterday afternoon," Rogue said.

"I'm fine," I smiled.

"Are you sure?" Kitty asked hesitantly, glancing at Jean. "We saw the burnt mattress," she added quietly.

"It was an accident," I said guiltily. "I don't really know what happened, I just couldn't control it." I brought my legs up close to me, crossing them, so they could sit on the bed too. They piled themselves on. "So, what did I miss?" I asked.

"Not much. Bobby and Colossus challenged each other to a game of basketball tomorrow," Kitty said.

"What was it about this time?" I asked, too used to the pair's antics to be really surprised.

"Something about a potato and a dog, I don't really know or care, but here comes the important news: we postponed the shopping spree till tomorrow so you can come," Jubes prattled on.

"Thanks," I smiled.

"No problem. After all this drama, it will be good to just relax and shop," she said.

"Since when has shopping ever been relaxing with you?" Rogue asked incredulously. "You insist upon a plan of attack and don't even allow us a full thirty minutes for lunch!" she exclaimed.

"I don't believe in wasting time," she said innocently.

"I wish you would adopt the same attitude in my classes," Jean said dryly, having heard the whole exchange.

"We all have our own priorities. Mine just don't align with yours and English is not at the top of that list," she said indifferently. "Besides, you have one model student," she gestured at me, "You should be grateful." Jean just shook her head.

For the next thirty minutes Jubilee walked me through her plan for tomorrow, walking us through step by step, beginning in the carpark and ending with us loading our bags into the back of her SUV. I smiled the whole time, happy to just listen to them, my friends. Rogue was right; we were only allowed twenty-three minutes for lunch and she had only permitted three toilet stops for the whole day. I wouldn't be surprised if she made sure we stuck rigidly to her schedule. They left when Jean demanded that they leave so she can check up on my progress, stating that if I was to go on the shopping extravaganza, they needed to leave me in peace.

It was quiet when they left and I was acutely aware of the silence that was usually filled with Jubes' high-pitched chatter, Rogue's sarcastic remarks, and Kitty's sweet comments. I lay back on the lumpy mattress and I felt my eyelids get heavy. I fell asleep quickly.

I woke to a rumbling stomach. I sat up and swallowed the rest of the water from my cup and looked around. The lights were on and there were no windows, so it was difficult to tell the time. Jean, seeing me awake, walked over to me.

"It's dinner time. I'll check you over and if all's good, you can go on up to dinner," she said. I nodded happily. I watched her look over sheets of paper and got an idea.

I cleared my throat, "Um, Ms Grey?"

"Mmmm?" she said, still looking at the bits of paper, before turning to the machine.

"I was wondering, would I be able to…study under you?"

She whipped around, a look of surprise on her face. "Oh."

"I mean, you know, learn how this lab works, so I can help you out and stuff. I know I don't have the credentials to work with samples or anything, but I mean, the basic stuff. Organisation, prepping, helping out, learning, that kind of thing. You could teach me what you know, that is, if you aren't too busy," I added hastily.

She still had the surprised look on her face. "None of my students have ever taken an interest in my work," she said. Then she looked excited. "Finally someone takes an interest!" I smiled at her excitement, hoping it was a positive sign. "Yes, I think we could work something out. I could start you out with paperwork. You understand, this would be like taking on another subject; an apprenticeship or traineeship, as such. It will require hard work and focus," she warned.

"I expect as much."

"Okay then. Of course, we will have to see the professor to get the go ahead, but I'm willing to take you under my wing. When I'm finished, you will know everything I know!" she said.

I smiled happily, "I can't wait."

"What kind of career are you interested in?" she asked me, turning back to the papers.

"Actually, I was hoping I could stay on here and teach," I said. "I like working with kids," I added. She nodded.

"Well, it would be good to have a second doctor here." A few minutes passed. "You look all fine, Thea."

"Thanks," I said, getting up and testing my legs. They were a little shaky at first, but they quickly adapted to my weight and I in no time I was back to walking normally. "I'll see you up there, Ms Grey."

She waved me off. I walked out, along the metal hallways, to the elevator that would take me to the ground floor. I looked down at my fitted button down grey shirt and black shorts. Good enough for dinner. Just as I stepped out of the elevator I heard the professors voice in my head.

_Good to hear you're feeling better. Please see me after dinner, in my office._

_Will do. And thanks_, I replied to him.

As soon as I stepped into the dining room, I was flagged down by Jubilee who seemed to have saved me a seat. I grabbed a plate and added the pasta and meatballs on to it, walking over to where my friends were, sitting down. I was bombarded with chatter, and I joined in easily. It felt so natural to be there, in that moment.

"Anyway, he said he doesn't know how long he's staying," Rogue said.

"Who?" I asked.

"Logan," she told me. I nodded in a confused way. "Oh, I forgot, you haven't been around long enough to know any of this! Logan helped me out when I ran away from home and I think he thinks he has a responsibility to me, or something. Anyway, he lost his memory about fifteen years ago, and he's always going off to try to regain some of it. But he always comes back."

I nodded, as it made more sense now.

"It also helps that that man is hot enough to cook eggs off of," Jubes said.

I burst out laughing and Rogue whined, "Eww."

"Oh, don't deny it girl, you know he's H-O-T," Jubes said.

"Yeah, but it's weird. He's like my brother," Rogue said.

"He's not my brother," Kitty said suggestively.

I pretended to be aghast, "Kitty! What would Bobby say if he saw you salivating over another guy?"

"Bobby wouldn't say anything because he'll never know," Kitty said. I laughed.

"What wouldn't I know?" Bobby asked, sitting down next to Kitty. I burst into laughter as Kitty turned red.

"Just that Kitty here is-" Jubes began with an evil smirk.

"Isn't able to make it to your play off against colossus," Kitty cut her off. Bobby just looked confused. "I mean, you would probably never know I wasn't there, because you get so involved in the game."

"Smooth," I said.

"Of course I would notice," Bobby defended.

"No, you wouldn't," she replied, seemingly annoyed but I saw her slip her free hand into his.

"Maybe," he conceded.

"Did you hear Logan's back?" Jubes asked.

"Oh yeah. Hopefully not for long," Bobby said nervously.

I frowned at him, "What?"

"Bobby is afraid of Logan," Kitty informed me.

"Am not!" Bobby cried.

"Don't worry, most people are," Kitty said to him. "He just has that effect."

I frowned again. He didn't really seem that way when I saw him, but then again, I only saw him under unusual circumstances; i.e. when I was on fire. So I would be the best judge of character.

They continued their chatter as I ate, savouring the taste of the meatballs. It wasn't my favourite meal, but I was famished and seriously lacking in food that anything would have tasted good now. Jubes pulled out a magazine and started flipping through it, circling what she wanted. I shook my head at her.

"You could buy everything in the world and still be looking for more," I told her.

"It's not my fault I like material objects," she replied, circling a winter jacket, one distinctly similar to the one upstairs in her closet right now.

"Uh, Jubes, you already have one of those," I reminded her.

"I know, but this one is canary yellow. Mine is only faded yellow," she told me.

"Okay," I said slowly.

"I see there is much for me to teach you," she said, in a poor imitation of Yoda's voice.

"You've never even seen Star Wars," I told her.

"You may call me master, grasshopper," she said.

"Did you just call me a grasshopper?" I asked in disbelief.

"Hush now, and let me concentrate," she turned back to the magazine.

"Whatever," I laughed. I looked up and met eyes with Rogue. "She's insane," I said.

"I know," she muttered dryly.

I just shrugged and took another bite of pasta.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what did you think?<strong>

**A big thank you to my reviewers! EvilPurpleCookiePenkeyMonguin, fluffybunny39, In-Dependance, xmxoxoxnxy, trickstersink, aireagle92, and the annonymous reviewers; anon and DodgersMutant. Thank you so much! It means a lot to me!**


	4. Chapter 4

My feet made little noise as I walked to the professor's office; muffled by the thick carpet. My stomach felt heavy, full of pasta and meatballs, and I yawned at the delicious haze buzzing through my body, willing me to walk into the corner to my right and curl up on the carpet, closing my drooping eyelids and falling into a deep slumber. But of course, I didn't. I would see what the professor wanted, and_ then_ I would head to bed. Distantly, I wondered what the time was, but then I reached the double door entrance to the professor's office and I knocked three times on the wooden doors.

_Come in._

_Thank you._

I pushed the door open and walked in, seeing the professor behind his desk straight ahead. "Professor, you wanted to see me?" I asked politely.

"Yes, yes, but first, how are you feeling after your scare?" he asked, in a fatherly voice. I was again reminded of how kind he was, always trying to help people. Usually, when people ask you how you are, they don't really want a truthful answer, just a "fine" or "good", but with the professor, you got the impression he really did care how you felt.

"I'm fine now, thanks," I smiled. Why couldn't I have a father like him?

"I believe you've met Logan. You gave him quite a fright, you know," he said.

Suddenly, a rough, annoyed grunt from the corner of the room made me jump about three feet into the air and a strangled scream escaped my lips. I spun around, "Oh," I managed to get out, as I saw the man from my premonition leaning against the wall, his muscular arms folded against his chest. In the premonition, I had thought his eyes were very dark brown, almost black, but I was wrong; they were totally black.

"I'm sorry dear, I thought you knew Logan was here," the Professor said. My hand leapt to where my neck became my chest, feeling the frantic beating of my heart slowly return to normal.

"No, I should have known," I said, a little breathlessly.

"You didn't scare me kid. I don't do scared," he growled at me. My eyes widened at his surly demeanour. Was he always like this? But, I believed him right then; he probably didn't get scared.

"I-I never said you were," I said quietly, my eyes still wide. He just grunted again. Then I realised, it was his voice I remember hearing when I lost control before; telling me someone was coming, calling me "kid" and swearing. And it was his black eyes that calmed me down, allowing me to regain control. And from the looks of his large hands, it was him who had tried to put out the fire on my skin. I'm surprised it took me this long to figure that out; it was so obvious. I put it down to exhaustion.

I turned back to the professor, but out the corner of my eye, I studied him as he stayed where he was, completely indifferent. Right now, he was the embodiment of control. He was tall, but not the tallest man I'd ever seen. I think it was his presence that made him seem tall and towering. The muscles in his arms were bunched and tight, his chest was broad and well-muscled as well, judging from his fitted shirt. In fact, I didn't doubt he was muscly everywhere. But the thing was, he wasn't overly muscly, like how the guys who were pumping iron seriously got. He was…perfectly muscled. His jaw was strong, defined by the hair growing half way down it. His coal black eyes held a steady gaze at the professor and his lips were rough-looking, uncared for. His wavy hair was brushed back and I wondered what it would be like to run my fingers through it. Would it be rough and coarse, like the rest of him, or would it be soft? What would it be like to press my lips against his?

The professor cleared his throat and I suddenly realised I was frowning at Logan as I scrutinised him, ignoring whatever the professor was saying. And then I remembered he was a telepath and I quickly put up my mental barriers, hoping to God, or whoever was in charge upstairs, that he hadn't just heard my thoughts. Red coloured my cheeks as I turned back to Professor Charles Xavier.

"As I was going to say, I've come up with quite an idea," he said. His tone implied he hadn't heard anything, but I doubted he hadn't. He was tactful enough to ignore it and pretend he hadn't. My blush deepened. "Logan has arrived just in time to kick-start your training. You've already agreed to undergo combat and control lessons with the intention of joining the X-men, correct?"

"Uh, yeah," I said.

"Great, so Logan will be your coach. You two can work out a time to start these lessons. Any questions?" he smiled. I smiled and my eyes slide to Logan. He was going to be my teacher for this? I didn't think I'd be able to take one punch, let alone one from him. Inwardly, I groaned. I was going to be black, blue and red for sure, probably green and yellow as well. Heck, I was going to be a freaking rainbow.

I shook my head and Logan didn't say anything.

"Great. My other idea is somewhat more…testing. I'll put it to you, and see where we can go with it," he started. "Thea, you may be aware of Logan's current…memory loss. I've tried countless times to restore his memory, but alas, it hasn't been successful. I was thinking you could try."

"No way," Logan growled out.

"What is the problem?" Xavier asked.

"I'm not having some kid rooting around up here," he said, tapping his temple. Xavier sighed. "Especially an inexperienced one."

Suddenly, I was annoyed, very annoyed. I scowled at him, hoping it would punctuate my point. "Well, you can't be picky. You either want your memories back, or you don't. I'm not inexperienced," I said, in a barely contained voice, but my voice still sounded tight.

He turned his cool eyes on me, slicing through me and the very corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. My heart fumbled a beat. "You set a bed on fire," he said, as if I didn't already know. The way he said it, made me feel like I was the only one who'd lost control for a moment. Because he was oh so perfect and in control himself. Yeah, right.

"Are you saying you're scared?" I retorted, mocking him. "Afraid of a little fire?"

He squinted at me, as if trying to figure me out. My jaw clenched as I fumed silently, glaring at him. "No." There was a pause.

"Thea is actually a level five mutant, one of the few I've found and I have hopes that she will be able to help," Xavier said, speaking into the stony silence, trying to alleviate the tension. Logan's jaw twitched.

"Chuck, I don't need her messing around in my head," he said stubbornly.

I took a slow breath, willing myself to just calm down. "How does it feel, to not remember your life? Does it bug you, when you see something and wonder if you've seen it before? Don't you want to know who you are?" I asked, trying to keep the taunt out. "Do you want your memories back?"

For a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer. But then he gave me a curt nod. "Then why wouldn't you accept help from someone who may be able to give it to you? I could be the answer to all your questions. And if not, then at least you tried. Then, if nothing else, it could be said that you wanted to regain a part of yourself."

"I don't care what people say," he rumbled.

"I figured," I muttered dryly. Then I sighed, "Look, I'll be in the woods late tomorrow afternoon. If you want my help, come and find me."

"Wonderful," Xavier cut in. "Just wonderful. I have high hopes for this arrangement," he said, clasping his hands together. I looked at his perfectly expressionless face and frowned. What was he planning?

"Six o'clock tomorrow, your training starts, kid. Danger room. Wear what you don't mind getting ruined," he said, surly as ever.

"Okay," I said.

"In the morning," he said.

"Six in the MORNING?" I exclaimed. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I don't kid."

"I can't. I'm going shopping tomorrow."

"Tough," he growled.

"Professor Xavier," I turned pleadingly to him.

"I wish I could help you but this is out of my hands. He's your instructor, you need to listen to him," he said.

I sighed. "Fine, but I hope you know I'm not happy about this," I grumbled, standing up.

"I got it," he said.

"How long will it take?" I asked. "I have a shopping date to keep."

"As long as it takes," Logan said, unhelpfully. I guess this was payback for being mean about the memory thing.

"May I leave, professor?" I asked.

"Yes. Have a good night," he said. Yeah, right. I was going to get a chewing out from Jubes for sure.

"Good night," I said to him, pointedly ignoring Logan. He didn't seem to care anyway.

I walked out into the hallway and sighed.

I could honestly say I wasn't looking forward to those training sessions. Sure, I wanted to be an X-men, wanted to be a part of that team, but I was nervous about being beat up by someone who clearly had a lot more experience than me. I didn't even know how to throw a proper punch. Logan had his work cut out for him.

I made my way back to the dorm room. When I walked in, Jubes asked what Xavier had wanted, so I told her.

"What?" she yelled. "You can't go shopping?"

"I'm sorry, but Logan wouldn't tell me when we'd be done for the day. I get the feeling that it'll be for the whole day, so you should just go without me. I'll go next time."

"But, Chica, the whole point in postponing the shopping trip till tomorrow was so you could come with us!"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Jubes, calm down. It's not the end of the world," Rogue said.

"Six o'clock in the morning?" Kitty asked.

"I know, that's what I said. How can he expect me to even think about getting up at that time, let alone being ready done in the danger room," I shook my head. I glanced at my watch; 8:30. "Speaking of which, I should go to sleep if I have to get up that early in the morning." I crawled over to my bed, groaning as I lay back and my body relaxed. "If I'm not here when you guys get back; pray for me."

"Will do," Rogue grinned.

"And if I don't make it back at all, I've always wanted to be buried in a pyramid. A nice one, like what the kings of Egypt used to have as a tomb. And plenty of gold buried with me; you never know, their ideas of the afterlife may be true," I joked to them.

"I'll see what can be arranged," Rogue said. "But I'm sure it won't be that bad."

"I don't know, have you seen the size of Logan compared to me? I'll be pulverised," I sighed.

"Chica, you haven't seen him fight yet; he's terrifying. You have no idea what you're in for," Jubes told me.

I glared at her, "Not helping!"

"Oh, sorry. Well, if you don't want to be punched, seduce him. That's one way where his massive size is a good thing," she grinned at me.

"Not that that's totally inappropriate or anything," I said to her. "I mean, he's just my teacher. It's not like it's illegal or anything."

"Who cares? He's hunky," Jubes sighed.

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Well, the law cares. And who says hunky anymore?"

She shrugged indifferently. I looked at Rogue and Kitty, "Help me out here."

"Well…he is kind of attractive," Rogue mused.

"He's hot! Sorry, but I agree with Jubes; who cares?" she looked at me, "Are you saying that if he approached you in that sexy, growly way of his and said he wanted you, you would say 'sorry, but it's illegal'," she asked me.

"Okay, first off, that would never happen. I don't think he likes me very much," I started.

"He doesn't like anybody," Jubes cut in.

"And secondly, he may be sexy and I can totally imagine all that raw power being translated into sex, but that doesn't matter; if I didn't love him, I wouldn't sleep with him," I said.

"Aw, that's so cute," Jubes said before bursting into giggles.

"What's so funny?" I demanded.

"You think love and sex go together, but you're wrong. Lust and sex go together." Then she peered at me, "Are you living in the 21st century, chica?"

I rolled my eyes at her, "Whatever you say, Jubes. But I think you're wrong." I yawned and rolled over, not even bothering with pyjamas. "I'm exhausted. I'm going to sleep. Last one to bed turns out the light."

"Oh, chica, you're no fun," jubes sighed.

I ignored her and closed my eyes, letting the heaviness I felt in my body take over and cover me in a cocoon, as I fell asleep quickly, glad for the quickness. I didn't dream that night, at all; I was too deeply asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what did you think?<strong>

**Thank you to my reviewers!**


	5. Chapter 5

I groaned as my alarm clock beeped at me, shattering the peacefulness of sleep. I opened my eyes slowly and groaned again. Too early. Sighing, I rolled over and landed on the carpeted floor with a muffled thump.

"Oof," the air left my lungs. I winced. Slowly, I pushed myself up and stumbled to the small bathroom between Rogue and Kitty's beds on the other side of the room. Kitty groaned and lifted the sheets further over her head, Jubilee didn't even stir, continuing to snore softly. Rogue, however blinked round brown eyes at me and stretched, sitting up.

"Training with Logan?" She asked quietly to disturb the others as minimally as possible.

"Yes," I stated. She must have heard the derisiveness and annoyance in my voice because she frowned.

"He's not that bad," She defended.

I rolled my eyes at her, "Oh yes, he's not that bad," I muttered sarcastically. "Aside from the fact that he's making me wake up at five thirty in the morning so I can be ready for a six o'clock training session, that he is also now making me miss out on a shopping day, which I was starting to look forward to, and how he made me out to sound like an inexperienced child. To me, right now he is anything but 'not that bad'."

She smiled and shook her head, "He saved my life."

I sighed, "How?"

"When Magneto used me to power his machine, I nearly died. Logan gave me his energy and in doing so he sustained his previous wounds, but I lived. So, maybe…you could be…nice?"

I sighed again, "That was…brave of him." I rolled my eyes at her serious expression and laughed, "I'll be nice. I'm always nice."

"You are," Rogue conceded, "Which is why I don't understand why you don't like Logan. You like everyone."

"I never said I didn't like him, I'm just grumpy because it's so early in the morning. I make a vow now that I will be my usual, charming self, and seeing as Logan is a teacher here, I will be polite and respectful. I promise."

I changed quickly into running shorts and a white t-shirt, pulled my long hair up into a braid and brushed my teeth. As I washed my face, Rogue said, "Have fun," and rolled back over to go back to sleep. I envied her.

I hurried down the hallway, down the stairs then the lift, then to the danger room. I went into the viewing room and saw that Logan was already in there, working out. Men came at him from all sides but he fought them back, seemingly easily. Around him were what looked like oak trees and the greenest grass I'd ever seen. Suddenly, long silver blades descended from his knuckles in a loud 'snikt' and I froze, staring at the blades. They looked very very sharp and very very deadly. Logan swiped his claws at a tall man, embedding them into his stomach. Spinning around, he gutted another two men, moving with a feline grace that was amazing. As he fought, I could practically see the waves of raw power flowing from him. A snarl twisted his face. In this moment, he looked more powerful, more foreboding and more masculine than anybody I'd ever seen. I understood why some of the kids were terrified of him. I was entranced.

A man snuck up behind Logan and I nearly cried out to alert him, but then Logan spun around, making me jump at the sudden movement. I gasped and Logan's head spun to me, finally noticing my presence. The man crumpled to the ground and the park environment disappeared, replaced with a large metal room which was the usual state of the danger room.

I bit my lip as Logan walked back into the viewing room, a layer of sweat covering his body. He looked wild. "How long have you been here?" he growled.

I swallowed, "Not long. I just got here."

He nodded, "Let's get started then."

I blinked, "What?" What was starting? I shook my head, trying to get rid of the haze of stupidity taking over. I tried not to watch a drop of sweat slide down his neck and down his exposed, chiselled chest to the waistband of his shorts. I really did.

"Training session?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Oh," I said, finally understanding. Right. The training session. "So…?"

"So, I'll trial you, see the extent of your powers and you fighting capabilities and work from there."

"What will I have to do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Butterflies fluttered around my stomach.

"Like what I just did. Do whatever comes naturally, power or fist."

"Naturally?" I squeaked. He ignored me, flipping some switches and turning some dials on the control panel and gestured for me to go into the danger room.

I walked in and suddenly the metal walls disappeared, replaced by a similar scene to what Logan was in. I stood in the middle of a clearing, trees ringing around me in a half circle. Behind me were multiple boulders and rocks before a sheer drop of a cliff. A small breeze rushed up and pushed the shorter strands of my fringe behind me. I felt so real. It was hard to believe it wasn't.

"_Nothing in here is real but any injuries you receive are, so watch yourself," _Logan's voice drifted over to me from the general direction of the viewing room. My eyes widened.

"What?" I half exclaimed, half squeaked.

"_Relax, Kid."_

"I'm not a kid," I snapped back.

A non-committal grunt was my reply.

Something moved in the trees.

My eyes widened as I stared at the spot where leaves had shifted when there was no breeze. Tentatively, I stretched my mind out, testing the limits. I froze when my mind connected with another. His mind was a whirlwind of activity as he assessed and analysed something, focusing. After a second, I realised it was me.

And then he jumped at me from a high up branch. I screamed and flung a hand out, freezing him where he was. I stared in surprise. I froze him! I actually froze him. I'd never used my power for something like this before. It was exhiulerating.

"If nothing is real, then the people aren't either, right?" I asked out loud.

"_They're not real," _he confirmed.

"Okay then." I moved the man over to the cliff, out into open air. If I let go, he would fall to his death. But he wasn't real, so he wouldn't actually die. But, then, if he wasn't real, how come I could hear his thoughts. I stilled just as I was about to let go, staring at the man I held suspended. If he wasn't real then why was he staring at me with such terror? Why did he seem to know exactly what was happening and why was he scared of dying, if he wasn't real?

How could I kill, real or not, someone who looked so scared? Guilt rushed through me and I became susceptible to other's emotions. I could feel this man's fear. He was so scared. As I stood there indecisively, something large and heavy hit me from behind and I fell. My control over the man slipped and he fell with a loud scream to the bottom of the cliff. Distantly I heard and crunch. My check was pressed into the grass as a heavy weight kept me locked there.

"_Dammit kid, they're not real!"_ Logan growled at me. Something strong flipped me over and I stared up at another man, this one larger and stronger. He lifted his arm and curled his hand into a fist, an ugly smile twisting his otherwise handsome face. "_You're not hurting anyone."_

In a burst, I set him on fire. The molecules of my body heated up until it trailed along my skin, licking at him. The cotton of his pants was aflame in seconds and he didn't even get a chance to hit me. He screamed and leapt away from me, beating at the flames and dropping to the ground. The stench of charred flesh hung in the air and I hitched up a wind to blow it away from me. Cupping my hands together I called on water, swirling it in my hands. I put out the fire of the burning corpse and pushed his body over the cliff as well. In the deep of my gut, I felt sick at what I just did.

And then two more people were there, coming at me. I could feel a drain in my energy. I held my hands up in a defensive position but it was stupid of me. I didn't know how to fight; the best I could do was keep them away from me so they didn't hurt me. Holding my arms out from me, I concentrated on a bubble of raw energy encircling me. The first person hit the wall and stumbled back. The second pulled out a knife and tried to cut into my bubble. With each stab, my concentration slipped and my bubble got weaker. I sent the bubble out, expanding it and sending them flying away. A second later, four more returned. They were like a hydra.

Cut off one head and two more take its place.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts. So, they thought like a real person, felt like a real person, but they weren't real. Did that mean I could control them like real people? Freezing them in place, I tested my theory. Concentrating on the person closest to me, I concentrated on their mind and slipped inside. I saw what she saw; me, my hand outstretched, purple eyes near glowing but vacant looking, and painted another picture. Instead of being in front of her, I made the woman beside her look like me. I disappeared from her field of vision and released my hold on her body. She turned to the woman beside her and punched her, fooled by my illusion. The other woman didn't understand why her teammate was punching her, but fought back. They were both too consumed by the illusion that I placed. They tumbled around, fighting one another and not me.

The other two, one man and one woman wore identical masks of confusion. Turning to the man I looked at his mind as a separate entity, imposing a message on him, influencing him. Planting inside his mind my own thoughts, as his own. _Maybe_, it would be a good idea if he pointed the gun he held in his right hand at his head. _Maybe,_ he should pull the trigger. It wouldn't really hurt. I turned away.

Bang.

The muscles of my legs turned to jelly and I collapsed to the ground, the only woman left running at me. In my weakened state, her emotions and thoughts pummelled my own mind and I cried out in pain. Hurt, pain, anger. It hit me inside my head and I slammed down a brick wall, a protective layer just as she reached me.

She dived on me, her knife in her hand. My back slammed into the ground as she lifted the knife. I held my arms out and she moved them away. She was a small woman but she was still bigger than me. Stronger. Her body was covered in a layer of taunt muscle while mine was soft. It wasn't a fair fight.

My knees came up to my chest and I kicked out, pushing her off me. I scrambled to my feet. She stood there, knife at the side and circled to the left. I matched her steps. Sweat trickled down my face. My head throbbed and I didn't know if I had the energy to fling the knife away from her, but I tried. It only flew about ten feet. Not a good sign; the energy bubble had drained me too much. It used too much energy.

The woman didn't even move to pick it up, running at me. She kicked out and got me in the stomach. I fell backwards, grasping my stomach as it exploded in pain. I dragged in a breath and fought the urge to throw up. I stood back up, still holding my stomach just as her fist came at my head. I managed to block that but she hit me in the stomach with her other hand. I doubled over and she kicked me again. I flew backwards landing with a heavy thud. I didn't move as she approached me.

I took in a breath and commanded myself to think properly, around the pounding of my head. How do I beat someone who had so much more experience at hand-to-hand combat than I did? She looked like she had been studying and practising the art of 'ass-kicking' since she was little. How was I supposed to beat her?

I had to be smarter than her.

How did she see me? As someone who couldn't fight, who was weaker and dumber. So I let her think that as she approached me, a triumphant smile on her face. As she reached me, I kicked out, catching her by surprise as my foot connected sharply with her stomach. Take that. While she was doubled over, I swung my legs out and knocked her off her feet. She landed with heavy thud. I jumped back up waited for her to get up. When she did, I kicked her in the shins. She screamed out and I hit her in the side of the face.

"Ow!" I yelped, shaking my hand to get rid of the pain. Why did the movies never show how much it hurt to punch someone? I was totally unprepared! "Bloody hell!"

As the woman struggled to stand up, I kicked her in the face. Her head snapped back and she fell, crawling away. Too late, I realised she was heading for her knife.

She spun around and faced me, blood trickling in a steady stream from her nose. She smiled and I saw red stained her teeth. The throbbing my head had lessened and I took the opportunity to take control of her. My hands fell to my sides, palms facing her as I slipped inside her mind. I became her in a bizarre way, taking control of her body. I could feel the presence of her mind behind me as she internally screamed. Concentrating on her right hand, I brought the knife up to her chest. She mentally slammed against the cage I put around her, rattling it, trying desperately to get out and back in control, but it was no use. As I plunged the knife into her chest, I snapped back to my own body in time to see her crumple to the ground. A bitter taste soured my mouth and the air was tainted coppery.

I let out a slow breath as I looked around. The green ground was stained in various placed a vivid red. The vitality of life seeped into the soil of the earth and I collapsed to the ground, heaving up the non-existent contents of my stomach. Why was I still here? Shouldn't the danger session end now that I killed everyone? Why was the soft green grass still bunched in my hands?

I looked up and saw three figures sticking to the edge of the trees. From the outlines I could see, they were all female. I quickly stood up. I flung rocks at them, hoping to hit them, but the dodged and converged on me. Jubilee, Kitty and Rogue treaded softly towards me. I stilled.

It was one thing to kill a stranger, someone I'd never seen before and who was trying to hurt me. Someone who I knew nothing about. But my friends? How could I be expected to hurt the people I knew? Rogue was a head of the others and she ran the last distance towards me.

"Rogue?" I whispered as she swung her fist and connected with the side of my head. I stumbled to the side, my hand holding the spot where she hit me. Kitty and Jubilee stood further back, watching. Rogue swung at me again and I didn't do anything to stop her. How could I? Jubilee circled behind me and her foot slammed into my back. I fell forwards and Rogue caught me, but only to hold me as she punched me again.

Something hard, harder than flesh connected with the back of my skull and I collapsed to the ground, disorientated. The ground raced up towards me, as I righted myself and I landed on my hands, my nose inches from colliding with the earth. Blinking, I tried to get up as a boot hit my ribs. Kitty had joined in. I gasped in a breath as pain blossomed on my side. A haze of throbbing pain coated my body and I struggled for breath.

"_Stop letting them hit you!" _a rough voice exploded around me, bring me back and reminding me that they weren't my friends.

"Okay!"

I stood up, pushing the pain down so I could see around the dots in my vision. In the back of my mind I gathered my power, pushing it together into a tight ball, adding to it. It grew steadily, a ball of power and energy. When it was ready, I pushed it down my arms and out the palms of my outstretched hands, hitting Jubilee in the chest and blasting her back off the cliff. She screamed all the way down. Quickly, I turned the fading power on Kitty, managing the same just as the supply stopped abruptly. I turned around, blinking back the black dots that threatened to make me blind.

Rogue pulled out a small, curved blade that I didn't even know she had and slashed at me. The blade cut into the fabric of my shirt just below my shoulder and into my skin. Blood seeped to the surface, painting my shirt a bright red. For a moment I was stunned. And then the pain sliced into me where Rogue had cut me. Rogue had cut me! I bit down a scream and swung my other arm out, smacking her in the side of the head. She dodged, sliding behind me and grabbing me from behind, placing he blade to my throat.

I was just about take control of her mind when she spoke.

"You have such a pretty throat. I wonder what it would look like covered in red." The voice was Rogue's perfectly, her strong accent pitch perfect. She sounded exactly like Rogue, but I had never known Rogue to sound so cruel, so mean. And suddenly, I was angry. So very angry; how dare the danger room present me with a Rogue-look-a-like and make her so different to the real one? How dare it pretend that this monster was Rogue? I slammed the heel of my foot into her toes and swung my elbow into her solar plexus. Her grip loosened on me but the knife nicked my skin as I escaped her grip. Looking at her, I focused on every atom of her body, making them expand and expand until she exploded.

I felt lightheaded and I collapsed to the ground, the pain rushing back. My head slapped the ground and the forest disappeared. The door to the viewing room opened and I saw large booted feet walk towards me.

"Come on kid," Logan said, his rough voice unusually tender. He lifted my exhausted and sore body from the ground and carried me to the first aid room just down the corridor and placed me on the unfolded trundle bed. Silently, he moved to a grab a kit from a counter, placing it beside. Gingerly he lifted the sleeve of my shirt to clean the cut there, wiping away the blood and cleaning the wound. My face scrunched together as I tried not to wince at the cool sting.

Suddenly remembering what he said before, I told him, "I'm not a kid. I can do it myself."

He grunted in a 'yeah right' way which only served to make me more persistent. I tried to get up to go to the mirror and inspect the damage. I could treat my own bruises and cuts; I didn't need him to treat me like a 'kid' like he kept calling me. But Logan just pushed me back down on the pallet and continued to clean at the cut on my arm. Reaching for a bandage, I took the opportunity to get up again, "Stay still," he growled at me, annoyed.

"No," I refused, struggling to pass him and do it myself.

He let out a frustrated growl and pushed me back down. He dabbed above my eyebrow with something cool that stung. There must be a cut there too. "I can do it," I insisted forcibly.

"No," he growled at me. It only served to make me try to wriggle past him and fend off his hands as they tried to continue cleaning my cuts. Growling, he grabbed my wrists, holding them in one hand above my head and using the other hand to clean my wound. I tried tugging them out of his grip but to no avail. He was just too strong.

"Let me go, I'll do it myself. I don't need your help," I commanded in a firm voice.

"But you're getting it kid, so shut up and stay still," he rumbled. I managed to slip one hand out and I pushed against his chest but he didn't move. His chest was muscled and as hard as stone. Deep down, my brain recognised that I liked the feeling of it, but I repressed that stupid inner voice. He just re-grabbed that hand and held it even tighter again. Vaguely I noticed that it hurt, but I ignored it.

"Christ kid," he muttered. I sighed loudly, clenching my jaw and remained still, fuming at his resolve on treating me like a kid. I glared up at him, pinning his black eyes with my own black look.

He continued to dab at my eyebrow and when he saw that I'd given up, he let me go. I grumbled at him. He said nothing, just handing me an ice pack and I placed it against my face where I had been punched. Logan's cool, long fingers probed the back of my head and I let out a hiss as her touched a tender spot. He tilted my head down to clean the wound there too. I felt ridiculously small so close to Logan; his body was so big it seemed to be everywhere. My nose was bombarded with his delicious husky scent. My face reddened. I wouldn't admit it but I liked how he was looking after me.

I cleared my throat, "So, how did I do?" I asked weakly.

"Not bad kid," he said, using the name I was beginning to hate.

"Yeah right. And how many people have you had to fix up with the first aid kit?" I asked dryly. "Don't patronise me; tell it to me straight."

He folded his arms, inspecting his handiwork. "You're going to have a nice bruise and you'll be hurting for a while."

I rolled my eyes at his obvious avoidance of my question and clenched my jaw.

"You could do with a few pointers on how to punch properly," he muttered dryly, lifting my hand in his and inspecting the bruise there too. My hand was so different to his; smaller, softer, slimmer, lighter. "In fact, I'll have to teach you how to fight in general, but you did an OK job on your own."

I was vaguely surprised by the compliment. "Um, thanks?"

He didn't say anything, just held an icepack to my wrist.

LOGAN P.O.V.

She had to be the most stubborn woman I knew. She was exasperating. Couldn't she just accept my help and move on?

But there was something annoyingly…cute about her. Sweet. Surprisingly sexy. Something that made me want to look after her. It was annoying.

She was all scraped up and she still managed to look amazing. And smell amazing. Her skin smelt florally, feminine. Sweet. It made me want to taste her skin in a kiss.

It was wrong. But true.

I needed to keep my distance from this enticing woman. I could feel myself crumbling at her feet, sure that I would do anything she asked of me. Pathetic.

But as I looked at her bruised wrist I felt protectiveness well up inside me. I wanted to protect her. Look after her.

Tension coiled in my body as I remembered she was a telepath. I would stop this…connection I felt to her.

Because it was wrong. She was just a child and I was old enough to be her great-great-grandpa.

I shook my head and watched her scrunch her face up in pain. For just a moment, tenderness flooded through me; something I hadn't felt in a long time.

The wolverine in me knew I was doomed from that moment on, but he neglected to tell me.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so I'm sorry it took sooo long for me to update, but i suck at fighting stuff, so it took a little longer.<strong>

**Anyway, i hope you liked it?**

**Let me know what you think. Please.**

**And thank you to those who have reviewed - it means so much to me!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I'd just like to take this opportunity to recognise my kind and generous reviewers over the chapters!**

**trickstersink****, ****xmxoxoxnxy****, anon, ****In-Dependance****, ****fluffybunny39****, ****EvilPurpleCookiePenkeyMonguin****, ****xmen4life****, LOTRlover, ****The Sword of Salvation****, ****SoLongNotGoodnight,****AikoRose, dreamin'BIG****, wolvie's fan, PrincessAnime8, wolvies, aireagle92 and DodgersMutant.**

**Thank you all so much for reviewing! Your words encourage me to continue to write; you're all so sweet.**

**Now, on to the story**

* * *

><p>My stomach let out a loud growl and I blushed, but managed to hold on to my glare, though I think it had lost its potency. It would be hard to take someone seriously when their stomach was so loud. I was considerably less angry with him now, though, as I slowly felt less hazy. Plus, it was hard to be angry at someone who was being so kind.<p>

"Have you had breakfast?" His jaded eyes stared at me intensely and I automatically answered him, barely even registering the fact that he seemed to be treating me like a kid still.

"No."

"Why the hell not?" He growled, apparently annoyed as my stomach let out another deafening growl.

"In case you weren't aware, I had to be up at five-thirty to be ready for this training session, and I don't get hungry that early!"

"Fifteen minutes," he barked, turning on his heel and leading me to the kitchen where everyone had free range. The cafeteria served breakfast at seven thirty every morning and it was only three past seven. The small kitchen on level with the student bedrooms was open all the time to all students, in case they were awake early or going to bed late.

He parked himself in a chair, arms crossed over his chest as he waited. I only just noticed the small lines around his eyes, making him look like he always expected the worst from people and the way he seemed uneasy, as if he were expecting it at any moment. The lines made him look older, more war-torn and more dangerous. As I thought this over, I realised he had a wall around him, blocking things and people off, protecting himself from the world, like he couldn't trust it or anyone but himself. It made me sad that he was so distant and I wondered how it would feel to gently brush my fingers under his eyes to make the lines disappear. What would he look like if his eyes weren't so hardened, always on the defence, a near-permanent looking scowl on his face?

I immediately felt bad for taunting him about not remembering anything before fifteen years ago; it must be so hard not knowing who you were. I couldn't imagine how frustrating it must be, to just not remember. I cleared my throat, debating whether I should voice my latest insight, and his black eyes flickered up to look at me, but then I wimped out at the last second and turned to make toast. I could feel his eyes on my back and my shoulders tensed; I felt like I was being scrutinised, puzzled over.

I washed my hands thoroughly, feeling the layer of moist sweat sticking to my skin and I itched for a shower. As I moved, I felt the stirrings of aches as I disturbed my bruises. I would be so sore tomorrow; I'd be surprised if I could even get out of bed.

When the toaster threw my toast at me, literally as the popping mechanism was a little over-zealous, I turned around and Logan was looking at the wall in exactly the same spot as before. I bit my lip before sitting at the table, the only table, where Logan was sitting, or stewing, I wasn't sure which, next to him. His presence was comforting; a near-immovable mass of toughness and bad-ass from what I saw in the danger room. I tore a piece of toast and popped it in my mouth, chewing away. His eyes glanced down at my plain toast and I detected the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, but I couldn't be sure.

"I don't like butter, or margarine. I prefer plain toast," I explained. He said nothing, but I knew he heard me. I broke off some more bread and kept eating. In such close quarters, I was annoyingly aware of him, his every movement and twitch, though he didn't move much.

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked. He said nothing again. He probably already ate. But then he got up, walked over to the fridge and pulled out a tin of baked beans. I watched him as he moved around the kitchen, his size making him seem out of place in the small area. His movements weren't awkward, though, as I half-expected.

"I'm sorry," the words just slipped out before I even made a conscious effort to say them. His shoulders tensed, the way mine had before, for just a moment before relaxing again.

"Fer what?"

I pondered answering his question with "nothing"; he didn't seem like he wanted to reminded of his current situation. But then I opted for honesty instead. "For being mean about your memory-loss," I said, sounding surprisingly sincere.

I didn't think he was going to answer me and I had given up on waiting for a reply when he sat down with his baked beans on toast. "It's okay."

In that moment, I felt closer to him, in more than a student-teacher way. I inexplicably and unexplainably trusted him. We fell into a companionable silence and my heart felt light with happiness. And then I was completely distracted by the fact that he _devoured_ his breakfast. I'd only taken one bite of toast and he was already half-finished the food on his overloaded plate. I was pretty sure I was gaping like a fish.

He glanced at me, obviously noting my lack of movement. "What?"

I made a conscious effort to close my mouth but I couldn't help the goofy smile that made its way to my lips. I shook my head at him, "Nothing."

He shrugged.

We finished in silence and I followed him back down towards the danger room and into the gym right next to it. Of course, it was empty. Logan instructed me on how to use the machines, pointing out that I had a lot of work ahead of me. I spent ten minutes at each station, working different muscles; my biceps, triceps, abdominals, pectorals, calves, thighs. I ached all over.

Logan followed me to each station, pointing out what I did wrong and how to right it. When I did well, I was met by silence, the only thing that let me know I was doing it right. Just as I was getting the hang of it, he decided it was time to give me some horrible news. My schedule.

"Six am each morning, we'll go for a run," he told me, explaining the importance of stamina and long-durance running. "Right now, the best thing for you in a fight is to run away."

"Hey!" I cried, indignant as I tried and failed to do another leg up. He looked at me pointedly. I sighed, "Fine, point taken. Run away, got it."

"When we finish at seven, you'll still have enough time to get ready for classes," he informed me.

"Wait, wait, wait. An hour!" I asked, incredulously. "You want me to run for an hour?" He raised an eyebrow at me and I quelled my grimace with a conscious effort, my face pinched, "Continue."

"Are ya done interupin'?"

"Yes," I grumbled.

"Good. When I find you and let you know that it's a training day, you will meet me here at four o'clock for an hour," he continued, positioning my arm in a different position as I pulled some weights, and corrected my posture so I wouldn't hurt my back.

"But from four to five is when I get the most school work done!" I complained, feeling my crafted life unravel. My routine and schedule I'd set for myself since getting here was changing and I felt so unorganised. He glared at me as I interrupted again, but I didn't care, "I don't think you realise how important it is for me to have a structured life – some semblance of balance. I can't function if you don't provide me with definites! I can't plan if I'm constantly worrying if _maybe_ I'll be doing a training session that day, or if you'll get me to do some extra lessons, _maybe_." I could feel myself working up into a hysterical panic. Logan opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off, on a roll.

"Plus, I'm taking on a lot this year as it's the first place where I'm comfortable learning; I want to get the most out of it, to soak up as much information as I can before I finish school, because who knows what's useful to me in the future? What if I'm in a job that requires me to understand the movement of water molecules in differing environments or the effects of different microbial growths, and I never took a biology class? What about if I need to know how to use a standard normal distribution table or to explain the difference between integration and differentiation and I never took a mathematics class? What if I have to explain the motifs of the novel Wuthering Heights and never taken an English class, or if I need to understand the different textures and shading used by specific artists in specific times and never taken an art class? And what if I need to know how to conjugate Spanish verbs into the imperfect future tense or-"

This time Logan cut me off, "Kid," but he didn't get far as I kept talking, changing directions.

"I'm taking ten subjects. Ten! That's more than what everyone else takes – it's an impossible work load for senior year, but I manage to do it. To do that, I only have about two lessons of each of my subjects a week because they're on at the same time and that's not even including the extra control lessons I take with Professor Xavier every second Saturday, then add to that the fact that I think I'll be starting a sort of traineeship very soon with Professor Grey – that's more of my time being used. Okay? I hardly ever get weekends off, in fact they are practically non-existent. This weekend is the first in a long time, and that's because we're ending sections of work and moving on to different stuff. I'm awake from seven o'clock in the morning till around eleven o'clock at night. Do you see why I need structure? Do you see why I can't just go on maybes? I understand that I need to do this, to learn to fight and what not to be a part of the x-men, but I need structure, so I can work around these lessons, so please, please, just tell me when and where, but don't give me possibles or perhaps." I finished in a rush. Actually, I said it all in a rush.

He stared at me with narrowed eyes, like he was trying to guess whether or not I was going to pass out and if he needed to catch me if I did, "Calm down, kid. Okay, we'll do it your way so long as you don't cry."

I blinked, and realised there was gathering moisture in my eyes. I took a deep breath, not letting a single tear leak out, "Okay."

"Okay," he repeated slowly. Maybe he thought I was unstable. Or crazy. Probably both. "Six to seven am run. Every second afternoon, four to five pm training session. Saturday morning's, six to seven danger room session." He said each one tentatively, like I would burst into a hysterical rant with each one.

I nodded, "Okay."

There was a pause in which I went back to pulling the weights, like I was punching the air. Then Logan asked, "Why do you put yourself under so much pressure?" he didn't look at me as he asked the question but I wished he would so I could read his expression. Or lack of one.

I thought about it for a moment, "I thrive under pressure. In fact, I get more done when I'm under pressure." I pulled the weights.

"So, you're one of those smart girls," the words were posed as a question but he said it like a statement.

I frowned, "Well, 'smart' is kind of derogatory. It implies some kind of…brazen attitude. Anyone can be smart, but it takes time and dedication to be intelligent, which I'm assuming is the word you meant. I research a lot of the work we do and look at it from a lot of different angles to make sure I understand it. It's a lot of extra work; it doesn't just come to me out of the blue or anything. It's not like I can pick up a textbook on microorganisms and immediately understand it all," I stared at the wall, still frowning as I said this slowly, trying to convey what I meant. "I want to get the most out of what I'm given."

He nodded at me.

We lapsed back into silence, only broken when Logan corrected my posture, or showed me how to do something properly. Before I knew it, he was telling me we were almost done. I glanced at my watch. Eight o'clock.

He took me through warming down exercises and finished by saying we'd go for a half-hour run. I wondered if he was cutting everything short. I followed him out again, ignoring his butt as we walked. When we got outside, into the fresh air, I felt a bit better.

"Thea," I heard someone call in a familiar voice.

"Hey, chica," I heard someone else yell, also in a familiar voice. I turned around and watched as Jubilee, Kitty and Rogue caught up to me, looking spectacular and obviously heading towards the garage and then to the mall. I smiled as they reached me. "Oh, my God, what happened to you?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Is it even legal to do that?" Jubes asked.

"What?" I asked again, stressing the word. I looked at Kitty, be screeching her to answer me.

"You're kind of… well, you look a little banged up," she answered timidly, her eyes flickering to Logan.

"A little?" Jubes asked incredulously. "It looks like you've been through a war!"

"Oh, you mean the bruises and scratches?" I asked, smiling as I finally understood what the heck they meant, though it should have been obvious to me immediately.

"How can you be so cavalier?" Jubes asked.

"Jesus, what did you do?" Rogue demanded from Logan.

"No, it was my fault," I told her.

"You punched yourself in the face? Cuz' that's what it looks like; a punch to the face," Jubes informed me, not so delicately. I blushed a little and Rogue elbowed her, giving her a look.

"It was my fault; it was silly, really, but the simulation you punched me in the face," I told Rogue, before turning to Jubes and Kitty, "And you two kicked me a lot." I laughed at their faces.

"Well," Jubes said, perking up, "Can you come shopping now? It's just the thing to make you feel better!"

"Oh, yeah, because a shopping-day with you is always so relaxing," Rogue mocked.

"Can you?" Kitty asked me.

I glanced at Logan, who was standing a little way over and not looking at us. He had said we were almost done, and if I asked them to, they would probably wait another hour. "No," I said instead, "You guys have fun."

"Oh, but-" Jubes began.

"Just go," I laughed.

"Fine," she pouted before brightening and saying, "I'll bring you back something. Something fantastic. Something sexy. Something that will make your boobs say 'hi-hello-there'," she said, flipping through her mental catalogue.

I blushed a deep red and hoped Logan wasn't paying attention. Unfortunately, he was. He was frowning at us. "Jubes," I said, whining.

"What?" she asked.

"Okay, let's go," Kitty said, seeing my embarrassment. I mouthed a thank you to her.

"I'll see you guys later," I said, smiling.

"Try not to break her," Rogue said to Logan, going into protective mode that she had done a lot when I first got here.

"I'll be fine," I defended easily.

"Mmm-hmm," she said, ignoring me and frowning at Logan.

I rolled my eyes at her, "Just go."

"See you later," Kitty waved as they headed for the car. I waved back before turning to Logan and waiting for him to tell me where to go. We started out slow, jogging towards the woods and I fell into a rhythm that was kind of mind numbing.

After a second I realised Logan was frowning at me. His frown was a question. "I figure, all this physical work has given me time to…uh, recharge mentally." He nodded and we continued along. About five more minutes in, I was puffing and red in the face.

"I'm so unfit," I huffed out. Logan, however, only had a thin layer of sweat covering his forehead.

"That'll change."

"I hope so."

I concentrated on putting one foot in front of another, even though I desperately wanted to stop. How was I supposed to do this for an hour? Good Lord, I think I'm going to collapse. I was raking in oxygen, trying to breathe properly. My legs burned and I knew I'd never be able to get up in the morning. Just as I was about to beg for a break, the school appeared ahead and I sped up, desperate to get back. I flopped to the grass, the spot where I'd been talking to my friends before. I gasped in much-needed oxygen, breathing deeply as I felt my heart pump the blood around my body.

"You should warm down," Logan said. I groaned as I pulled myself up, walking back towards the woods slowly. Very slowly. When we got there, I was almost back to a normal breathing rate. I walked deeper into the woods, breathing in the husky smell of the plants and trees, a smell not dissimilar to Logan's smell.

"I just realised, I never asked what gift you had," I said. "I already know about the healing capabilities, and the claws. Is there anything else?"

Logan cleared his throat as we walked slowly, catching our breaths, "I'm a feral."

"Aw, you're not that bad," I said. He looked at me, surprised and obviously about to explain when he saw the smile on my face. I giggled, "I'm kidding."

After about ten minutes of slow walking, I asked, "Do you want to start the memory thing now?"

He glanced at me and nodded. I bit my lip. Now that I'd said it, I was a bit hesitant. I wasn't sure if I should, or even could. What if I got his hopes up? What if I hurt him? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I bit my lip again.

"This may take a while. And by a while, I mean weeks or months. The mind is so complex, you have to push with exactly the right pressure in exactly the right places otherwise it could be disastrous. The mind, particularly the memory is so unpredictable; sometimes it's like pushing on a sheet of loose plastic; if you go in too far it'll close around you and suffocate you and other times it's like a brick wall; no matter how hard you push and hit and claw at it, it just doesn't want to budge and I have to spend a long time chipping away at it bit by tiny bit. For something so complex, the mind is really fragile; once it's slightly damaged there's no fixing it. That may be different with you, but still. I'd prefer it if we were careful. Once I start, it'd be best if you left me to it. Just relax; it may be painful but just bear with me, okay?"

"I've had worse."

"Physically, maybe, but mentally? I doubt it. This pain will be inside your head, contained there. Continually, it could drive you insane. It's torment. Going back many years is hard and when the memories are blocked off to you means it can be painful. You need to be sure this is what you want."

He just grunted.

"And, whatever you see, I will as well. I know you may not like that, but it will be easier for me if you are open to it. If you try to hide the memories from me, I can't exactly unlock them."

He just grunted again. I was glad to see he'd moved on from the whole 'I don't need a kid rooting around inside my head' thing. It would be easier this way, if he was open to it.

After a moment, he asked, "How do you know all this?" Clearly, he still thought I was an inexperienced kid; my knowledge must surprise him and counteract his perceived notion of me. I was glad for it.

My lips twisted up into a half-mocking smile, "Are you saying you never experimented with your gift before?"

His clenched jaw was my answer.

"Okay then," I stood up and back, eyes narrowed as I examined him, almost as if he were a specimen under a microscope.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just…let me think," I said, holding up one finger in a 'just-a-moment' gesture. I circled him, as if the full view of his clothed anatomy would help me concentrate. "You have untapped healing and regenerative abilities," I scrutinised him, circling him, thinking aloud to get what I know straight. His shoulders were tensed and I got the impression he was distinctly uncomfortable. If he was a feral, he was probably unused to being sized up; it would be too close to being prey, and he was undoubtedly a predator. Actually, know that I thought about it, it made sense that he was a feral. "I think, seeing as it's your healing abilities that provide increased recovery, then it's likely they also help you recover from psychological trauma by repressing or supressing memories in which you are profoundly distressed. No matter how much you may want to remember, your body hinders this to keep you safe," I frowned, thinking it over. "If I forcibly break inside, I don't know how you'll handle it. That is, assuming I can break inside."

"I'll be fine."

I pursed my lips, considering, "You don't know that. I've never actually broken into a memory before, only chased down hard to remember ones. I don't really even know where to start, it's so different. I don't want to hurt you."

"I'll heal," his response was clipped and automatic, like he'd said it a lot over time and was used to being able to recover from anything. My face must have conveyed my misgivings because he grudgingly admitted, "I…trust you."

I was truly surprised. He seemed like the kind of person who didn't trust anyone with anything, who was a bit of a loner and didn't even trust friends, or people claiming to be his friend. I couldn't understand why he'd trust me, after he called me kid and implied my inexperience and made it bitingly clear he wasn't thrilled with this arrangement. If anything, he should not trust me at all. I had to forcibly stop myself from reading his mind just to see what he was thinking. I didn't willingly listen to other's thoughts; their mind was their sanctuary, but right then I wanted to know what he was thinking. But, hearing that from him steeled my resolve. I bit my lip and sat on the ground, Logan following by example. I mirrored his position and took a deep breath.

"Just…relax." I lightly touched his temples with my hands and stared at his black eyes. This close, I was surrounded by his scent but it wasn't overwhelming. And then suddenly, I was moving through his eyes, as if they were a tunnel to his mind, a portal, transitioning over to another place. I stood in a long, dark corridor that went on for as far as I could see and there were doors on either side lining the walls. I was inside his mind. I looked down and saw an almost transparent figure of myself, devoid of every colour but white. A filmy, ghostly outline of myself stood in the memory corridors of Logan's mind. I wasn't a real or permanent fixture inside his head which could explain my colourless state. No doubt his memories would be in colour. A small connection to my body outside his mind remained in the corner of my mind, a living presence that would take me back.

Concentrating, I moved towards the first door.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so i know it took way too long to update, but i've been extremely busy. Um, maybe the longness of the chapter will make up for it? Maybe?<strong>

**Anyway, thanks for reading and let me know what you think.**


	7. Chapter 7

There was a small click as the door swung open, so easily it practically welcomed me in. Cautiously, I stepped over the threshold that marked the beginning of the room, transitioning from the organisational storage structure of the corridor and into the memory itself. When I breached the bare room, it disappeared, like the room was disassembled one pixel at a time and replaced by the bounds of the memory.

I watched with Logan's eyes, heard with his ears and his thoughts became mine as the me-Logan bent forward, hands leaning against the metal controls in the danger room as he looked through the window. Then I focused on the scene in front of me and I realised why the memory had been so easy to access and assemble; because it was one of his recent ones. I only knew that because I was in it, taking a punch. I watched the real – me block the incoming fist.

_Swing your other arm down, she's going to hit you in the stomach,_ a rough voice growled in my (Logan's) head, and I realised it was his thoughts. The real – me didn't see the intention of the woman I was fighting, so I took a punch to the stomach. I winced as I saw myself double over in pain, then she kicked me and I flew back, landing heavily and not moving again.

"Dammit Kid, pay attention," Logan's voice muttered as he concentrated on me. It was so bizarre seeing myself, but being disconnected to it. Indignation rose up inside me; I had no training! I didn't know how to fight; I'd never even thrown a punch before! I thought I'd done pretty well for a first-timer. My strategy had been to keep them away from me so they couldn't hit me and using my powers because I could do it from a distance. Safer that way.

Having seen enough, I tried to pull myself out of the memory, but it was so very hard, like there were boulders chained to my feet that would only let me go once the memory was over. I centred myself, ignoring the images Logan's mind presented to me and thinking about the empty room that housed the memory, I concentrated on what it was like in that empty room.

_I want to go back._

And then the cord in the back of my mind, the one attached to the door of the memory so I don't get lost or stranded or stuck inside the memory having to watch it repeat itself over and over again, tugged and I was back in the corridor, the door swinging shut. I walked down the corridor, inspecting each door carefully, looking for any hints that it housed a forgotten memory, or a blocked one. Most looked like a normal door; some were painted, some just plain brown.

I lost track of time. I really didn't know how long I'd been walking for but then I found a bizarre door. It was rough wood, looking for all the world like it wanted to give me a splinter, and when I turned the rusty brass handle, it wouldn't move. I contemplated the door when I noticed the most bizarre thing. The door looked like it was moving. But it wasn't. I squinted at it, moving my face close to it. I noticed that there were bits of wood, tiny pin sized splinters slowly, ever so slowly, growing back. As if, the door had suffered a strong blow and it was slowly healing itself. But that couldn't be right – it was impossible. Memories don't just heal themselves when the door had suffered such a massive blow. It looked like the door had literally been put through a shredder, all torn up.

People who suffered from amnesia had damaged doors, but not like this. Usually, it was like the door had been banged around and didn't fit in the doorframe anymore, like the shapes weren't right and didn't fit perfectly like they had before. Time and practise would, in some cases, eventually allow the person to work the door just right so it would open. In some cases, the door remained jammed for the rest of that person's life. They never actually _healed_ themselves. It just didn't happen.

A light bulb went off in my head.

They might if you had a healing factor. It might speed up the recovery process just enough that it actually healed. I rested my palm on the door and felt a vague humming tickle my fingers. The door looked like it would still take a long time to heal, but the edges of it were damaged, like someone had tried prying it open.

I honestly had no idea what to do. I'd never come across someone who actually healed their doors. I was used to damaged doors. Biting my lip, I gripped the handle again, the cool metal an odd shape in my hand. With my other hand I pressed my finger tips to the healing wood, closing my eyes and concentrating. Ever so slightly, I put a little weight on the door. It didn't move. I pressed harder and it still didn't move. Running a finger down the gap between the door and doorframe, I mentally searched for any locking mechanism that I could flick open, or slide across. Confusion settled in the pit of my stomach when I couldn't feel any. I contemplated the door. There was no lock, the door was healing and the knob wouldn't turn. What could be stopping it from opening?

The hinges? What if there is something wrong with the hinges? I trailed my fingers down the side of the door, searching for hinges. It would be so much easier if I could just _see_ them, instead of using my other sense to feel their presence. As far as I could tell, there wasn't anything wrong with them. I felt for the bolts, and twisted them with my mind, tightening them, then tried opening it again. No good.

I could feel myself weakening, getting tired, and sweat coated my forehead and left a light sheen on my upper lip. I licked my dry lips with my equally parched tongue, wishing I had some water. Why did this door have to be so stubborn?

I braced myself against and pushed, working my calf and thigh muscles. I had to stop when my arms began to shake and I was panting. Physically, I couldn't best the door, so I closed my eyes and concentrated on the door in front of me. I extended the power that I held in the back of my mind outwards, almost like a tangible presence. With my eyes closed, I could see them; a mass of brilliant, shimmering gold tendrils floating in the air, twisting and twirling towards the door, caressing it. Any other person watching me wouldn't be able to see it, but my gift let me see it. It was similar to when Jean used her telekinesis; I could always see similar dark red strong strands, vines, really, while mine were more like wisps, extend from her body to the object she was moving, the shade of her hair.

The door shuddered under the wisps and I pressed forward with my mind, slipping the tendrils into the gaps between the door and the doorframe, loosening it. Every second I pushed forward I felt my concentration slip and I could feel the presence of my real body stronger. It was like I was floating between worlds; mine and Logan's. I tried concentrating harder, thinking only of the door.

I snapped out of his head quickly, slamming back into my own body painfully. Dots appeared in my line of vision and I felt woozy. I was overcome with a sense of light-headedness that I pitched forward, collapsing on Logan's lap. If I wasn't so exhausted, I would have been embarrassed. Only then did I notice the sweat pouring down my forehead in waves. My skin felt hot and prickly and I was pretty sure I was going to be sick. I closed my eyes with a groan, the world still felt like it was shaking me, spinning me. Even with closed eyes I was extremely dizzy. My throat felt parched and raspy but I didn't even really have the energy to get myself a drink.

And then a cool glass was being pressed against my lips and damp material was pressed to my face. I hadn't even felt him place me on the couch, heck I hadn't even felt him pick me up and take me back inside. I re-opened my eyes and took the glass from him, making a point of being able to give myself a drink. I think I saw his lips turn up in the corners the smallest, barely visible bit.

But that could have been me seeing things because the next second he very nearly snarled at me, "You didn't tell me you'd be so drained afterwards."

I took my time answering him, letting him calm down a little seeing as he spoke to me so rudely. I think it only served to piss him off more. I swallowed the rest of the water and leaned back against the chair, closing my eyes and covering my face with the cloth.

"It hasn't been so bad before," my voice was weak and I didn't like how vulnerable I sounded. How small and child-like. A sardonic part of my mind noted how I seemed to have a recurring theme of not wanting to be seen as a child by Logan and my inner psychologist thought I should try to figure out why this was. But in the next moment I told them both to shut up and mind their own business. This only served to highlight my state of fatigue as it made no sense. I giggled. Logan's painted a picture of worry, horror and disbelief. "I think I'm still exhausted from the control slips I experienced the other day."

A wave of nausea welled up and I shut my eyes, pressing my fingers against my temples, "You okay kid? You gunna be sick?"

"No. I'm fine. Just…distract me, it'll go away. And I'm not a kid," I retorted weakly.

He snorted in reply. "Tell me about your powers."

It took me a moment to realise that he'd made a request and another minute to get the strength to come up with a reply that would explain my gift. "I can sort of read minds, you know, telepathy," I began.

"Sort of?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. That was so cool.

"Uh, well, sometimes it's easier to do, sometimes it's difficult. I also have telekinetic abilities, like Jean, and uh, I can read auras and feel emotions – "

"Emotions?" I couldn't tell if he was really interested, or if he was just doing a really good job of distracting me.

"Yeah. It's like a constant buzz that hovers around people, and when I concentrate on it, the buzz sort of…drifts to me and I can feel what that person is feeling. And sometimes, I can see connections between people, like coloured strings attached to a person's heart and the person's heart that they are connected to," I said, pointing to my own heart. "I can get into people's heads, like you already know, and mess with memories, alter them, open them, and stuff. Illusion casting is really, really hard to do and do well – most of the time there's holes, or the reality I'd sown for someone else isn't stitched right. It's complicated. I can control people, inside and out of their heads, but it can be hard if the person I'm trying to control is strong willed. I can create a force field, like a layer or a shield around what I want by changing the molecular structure of the air, or create a 'dagger' of pure energy, which is very powerful and very deadly, but I sometimes pass out afterwards, because it's my energy I use; I haven't figured out how to take a little from all the plants around me, and sometimes it doesn't even look like a dagger; sometimes it's just like a blast.

And then I can control the elements. Fire is hardest to control. It's…temperamental. Unlike air, which almost seems to jump to do my bidding. Or water, which is constantly seeking my attention, begging me to use it. Or even earth, which can be stubborn, but most of the time lends me its strength without me even having to ask. Air is always ready and willing, like a soldier trained to take orders. Water is adoring, like the way a puppy is loyal to those who care for it. Earth is dependable, in the way a house gives protection and shelter. But fire is like an unpredictable, wild animal that's dangerous when it's unhinged and cornered. Damn near impossible to control, like it has a mind of its own."

"That's a lot for just one person," he said. "Most people don't have so many…abilities."

"I know, I didn't really understand it until recently. It's like… mental powers. I can do a lot of stuff, but it's all to do with my mind, nothing to do with sight, or touch, or hearing. My telepathy abilities are different to Jean's – for her, it's like her ears are picking up on something no one else can hear, but for me, it's nothing to do with hearing, it's more like my power connects my mind to theirs and their thoughts are in my head; I'm not _hearing_ them, I just _know_ them. Or Jubes, whose power is similar to my ability to create force fields - she can feel the energy on her skin, in the air, and manipulate it but my power sort of just…makes it change. It's hard to explain. There's this place at the back of my mind that holds my power and I use it in different ways for different abilities."

"Jesus. No wonder Xavier wants you to join the X-men," Logan grunted.

"Yeah, well, the professor also thinks that, with training, there's the possibility that there's still more I can do that I don't know about yet. Though, I don't know what," I told him, biting my lip. I was scared of finding out I could do more, because it meant learning how to control that too, and while I was learning that control, it would mean I don't fully have control and that meant I could hurt someone seriously.

"You still need combat training though," he muttered.

I grinned, laughing, "Obviously. I'm hopeless when it comes to fighting."

"You'll learn."

And that, right there, made me stop and stare at him. That confident faith he had in me. And it was faith, because he couldn't possibly know whether I'd get the hang of fighting or not. He just automatically believed it and I wondered if he knew how appealing that made him to me. I mean, besides physically. There were moments when people said things I really didn't expect and it made me see them more clearly, like now. Though it was a standard response, not particularly special, it was special to me. I'd never been faced with that kind of belief in me, especially not from my mother, or my non-existent father. He stared back a moment and I blurted out the truth before I thought better of it.

"Your power is kind of amazing," I said quietly. He looked away, his jaw clenched and I wondered if I'd made him angry.

"You mean because if I get hurt, it doesn't matter because I'll heal within minutes?" a bitter undercurrent ran through his words. "Because if someone tortured me, I'd still live?" he flicked his eyes over to mine, his gaze level and hard. I sensed the sudden change in his mood, suddenly darker and serious, bitter.

"No," I said softly. "There are other ways to hurt someone, besides the physical. And pain is pain, whether you heal fast or not. And if someone tortured you, your body would heal quickly, but your mind wouldn't. I just meant, it's kind of amazing because I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be fearless, dauntless, to take risks because you're so…indestructible. To throw yourself into danger, without a second thought, as if it's in your nature, your DNA."

He contemplated me with that same level, indecipherable gaze. I tried not to squirm at the intensity.

And then loud laughter sounded right outside the kitchen door and my eyes flickered away from Logan in time to see Jubilee, Rogue and Kitty walk in the door, Rogue making a beeline for the fridge, grabbing a soda. Kitty walked over to the couch across from Logan and I, and I tried not to be offended when out the corner of my eye I saw him subtly shift away from me and switch on the small TV up in the corner.

They were back already? I glanced at the time on the microwave and was surprised to find it was late afternoon. How long had I been inside Logan's head for? How long had we been talking? It was only morning when we went for a jog. _Jesus, how long had I been in his head for_?

Kitty let out a sigh, rubbing her feet after she'd dropped her bags. "Let me guess," I said dryly, "She was a slave driver. Again."

"You have no idea," Rouge answered from around her bottle of coke.

"Hey!" Jubilee cried indignantly.

"Jubes, what have I told you about shopping and being bossy?" I sighed, exasperated. There was no getting through to her that if we didn't visit _every_ shop, it wasn't the end of the world. They'd probably still have clothing left the next day, if she was that desperate.

"Well, you know what? If I hadn't been such a 'slave driver' as you so kindly put it, we would have completely missed the amazing dress I found for you," she pouted.

"Really?" I grinned. It got my attention.

Kitty sighed, "Technically, she's right about this one." She turned to Jubes, "But I still don't appreciate you yelling at me to eat faster. Even then, you only gave us ten minutes. And that included waiting for the food," she said in an aside to me.

I laughed, "I believe you."

Jubes searched around through her various bags, finding the one she was looking for and swinging it at me, "Your welcome."

"You're supposed to wait for me to thank you before you say 'you're welcome'," I tell her, looking in the bag.

"Trust me," Jubes walked over, "You'll be thanking me. Could you move over a smidge, Wolvie?" she asked Logan. I pressed my lips in a thin line to stop from smiling. A low growl came from his throat and he glared at her. "Oh, come on! There's plenty of space."

I stood up and moved to the island bench, dragging her with me before she gets herself into trouble with Logan. I pull out soft material from the bag and hold it up in front of me to see. It was the shortest dress I'd ever seen; strapless and completely a body-hugger of slightly stretchy soft material, it would only come down mid-thigh. It was a light shade of lilac, interwoven with varying shade of purple and dotted with small rhinestones every now and then.

"Looks more like a shirt to me," Logan muttered from the couch, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the TV.

"Don't listen to him chica," Jubes said, wiggling her eyebrows. "You're gunna look sexy in it. It'll highlight all your curves, make your legs look longer and push your boobs together."

I felt like slapping a hand over my face when she said that. Couldn't she save it until we were in our room, or when Logan decided he'd had enough with us chatting and walked out? Why did she have to say that in front of him?

"Not that you need it, I mean, they're big enough to do that themselves. Heck, even in that old t-shirt I bet you got some looks," she laughed, oblivious to the red that must have been heating up my cheeks. Where was a whole in the ground the right size for me to fit in when you needed it?

"So, you want me to look like a hooker?" I asked sardonically.

"Not a hooker. A sex goddess," she trilled and I let out a groan crossed between a whine and an exasperated wail of "Jubes!" all mixed together.

"Okay, enough of the 'Embarrass Thea' game," Rogue grinned. I mouthed a 'thank you' at her. "Even though it is hilarious to watch her squirm and go red." My grateful smile vanished at her mocking words.

"I just can't win today!" I sighed, throwing my hands up in the air in frustration. "I get beat up, I'm all sore, not to mention, starving, I have a raging headache, I feel like I could sleep for a month non-stop, and now you all want to gang up on me!"

There was a moment of silence, then, "Seriously though, do you like the dress?" Jubes asked.

I tried to hang on to my annoyance, but just like that it vanished and I burst out laughing, "Yes, Jubes, I love the dress." I wasn't lying; it was a gorgeous dress. Just a little (read: a lot) more revealing than what I would have chosen for myself.

"Good, because I think it'll help us get into that club and –"

"Ixnay on the upidstay," Rogue said, motioning towards Logan who had turned to us.

He raised an eyebrow at us, looking all menacing and disapproving. "You're not gunna tell on us, are you Wolvie?"

I winced when she said that. Asking him to not tell implied that we were doing something wrong in the first place, and calling him 'Wolvie' probably wouldn't help our case any. "You know the rules," he barked.

"Way to go, Jubes," Rogue muttered.

"Oopsie?" she said, I'm assuming in her defence.

"And I was so looking forward to it!" Kitty wailed. "Bobby was going to go, too. And colossus. And Gambit. Pyro had it all planned, too, he has such a talent for breaking the rules, and he was finally going to get his chance to hit on Thea properly," I raised my eyebrows at this. Pyro? Really? "And now it's ruined!" she howled at Logan, tears springing to her eyes. I was surprised at such an outburst from her, but I guess she really wanted to go dancing with Bobby.

"Shut up Kitty," Jubes said, glancing at Logan, but he was listening intently now.

"Start talking, Pryde. From the beginning," Logan demanded.

"Don't say a damn thing," Rogue said, her accent coming out.

"Oh, what does it matter? It's all ruined, we don't get to go!" she wiped at her eyes, turning her chocolate orbs on Logan, "Pyro wanted a chance to flirt with Thea, so he came up with this idea of going to a club," Kitty began and Jubes and Rogue let out frustrated sighs, not even bothering to stop her now, it was no use. Once Kitty got all emotional and started blabbering, there was no stopping her. Literally, she just kept going until she was all done and everything was off her chest.

"He couldn't do that here?" Logan asked.

"I don't know, he said something about being interrupted, and club ambiance and alcohol, I don't know. But he came up with a plan to sneak us out, I don't know what it is, he wouldn't tell us till the night before, and we'd go dancing. I really wanted to go dancing with Bobby. I've never been to a club before. We'd all go dancing, and Pyro would get his chance. We wouldn't let him get too carried away, or anything. Heck, we didn't care about his plans for chatting her up, we only wanted him to tell us how to get off the ground without being noticed. And now it's ruined!" she took a deep breath, the tears stopped now. She looked less gloomy, so we assumed she was over with the sharing.

"So Hothead was the mastermind?" Logan asked, his jaw clenched. He stood up and went to walk out.

"Uh, where're you goin'?" Rogue asked.

"None of you are leaving this place dressed in nothing but those damn shirts, or dresses, whatever you call 'em, just to have some guy gawk at ya," he told us.

"You can't tell us how to dress," Rogue said.

"Besides, there was only one of those _dresses_," she emphasised. "So, Thea's the only one wearing it."

"Well, she ain't goin' anywhere wearing it," he said, walking out. Jubes poked her tongue out at him.

We stared after him.

"Way to go, idiots," Rogue sighed, plonking down on the couch.

"Where do you think he went?" I asked, sitting back down as well.

"Probably to tear John a new one," Jubes said, sitting down next to me.

We sat in silence and then Jubes sat up straight, her eyes wide. "We could still go, you know. We just won't tell anyone this time."

"And how are going to do that, Einstein? They're gunna be extra vigilant now that they know we were attempting it," Rogue said.

"I have a plan," she said, looking meaningfully at me.

"Oh, no. why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like it?" I groaned.

"Because it's going to involve you and your nifty little powers," she grinned.

"Great," I said in false joy.

"Tomorrow night," she said.

"But tomorrow is the night before school," I complained.

"Yes, miss goody-goody, and it'll also be when they aren't expecting us to attempt a breakout," Jubes frowned, concentrating on her plan.

"You make it sound like we're in prison," I mutter.

"Eh, prison, school, what's the difference?" Jubes shrugged. "Either way, we're busting out and goin' dancing tomorrow night."

_We are so gunna get caught._

* * *

><p><strong>So, what did you think?<strong>

**I'm sorry it took so long to update, but i've been super busy. Forgive me?**


	8. Chapter 8

"No way," I said, staring at Jubes incredulously.

"Yes way," she replied, glancing up from her notebook that now held our carefully crafted and though-out plan that Jubes had spent the last hour and a half on. She looked surprised.

"No," I repeated, adamant.

"Yes," Jubes replied, staring me down.

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Jubilee," I began, using her full name so she knew I was serious, "I am not going to cast an illusion over whoever is on duty tomorrow night!"

"Why not?" she demanded, whining.

"Because it's wrong. I'm not going to use my powers on someone else like that," I sighed, exasperated. Jubes had finally finished scribbling away in her notebook and decided to let us in on the plan, as long as we all swore not to think about it too loudly, in case the professor heard. She hadn't got far in explanation before I stopped her, not liking it once I heard her say that a major part of the plan involved me tricking the teacher on duty. Sure, I was kind of excited about going to a club, but I had to draw the line somewhere. "Why can't we just use Pyro's plan?"

"Because, Mr bad-ass is probably interrogating him right now, and Pyro scared shitless of the guy, so of course he's gunna spill his plan," Jubes explained. "That's why."

I looked imploringly at Rogue and Kitty; surely they didn't think it was right to trick someone like that. Kitty gave me an apologetic smile, clearly on Jubes side. Rogue, however, seemed to be on my side, "Jubes, come on, you know it's a bad idea; the professor would be able to tell if Thea did that."

I didn't know if he would be able to, because the illusion would wear off once we were out of the mansion, but I wasn't about to correct her. Jubes sighed dramatically and fell back on her bed, "_Why_ do you have to be such a _good_-_goody_?"

"Jubes, this isn't about being a goody-goody, it's about morals, and Thea clearly doesn't think it's right to influence someone like that. I agree with her, "Rogue said, to my defence.

"Thank you," I said, looking pointedly at Jubes.

"Well, unless you can make us invisible, there's no way we cou-" suddenly, she bolted upright and I groaned in anticipation. Now what had she come up with?

"That's it!" she cried, scribbling back on her notebook. "Jubes, you're a genius!" she said to herself.

"Mind filling us in?" Kitty asked, "Because I'd still really like to go clubbing."

"Thea will turn us invisible!" Jubes said.

I started to laugh, then stopped when I realised she was serious. I gave her my approximation of a 'you're crazy!' look. "I can't turn people invisible!"

"You said that Professor said that with some practising there's probably more you could still do. So start practising!"

"Jubes, I don't think it's going to work. I may not be able to do that," I looked at her, frowning. "Plus, it would take longer than just a day to learn something like that!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but it's down to you know, chica. Either you turn us invisible or we aren't getting out of here," she crossed her arms, daring me.

"That's not fair," I told her, sitting down on my own bed.

"No, you want to know what's not fair. Poor Kitty's life dream to go clubbing, crushed, because you can't do it," she raised her eyebrows at me.

"You've got to be kidding! It's not her life dream, Jubes." I reached over, grabbing the top book in one of the book-piles arouond my part of the room, flipping a page and reading, making it obvious I was ignoring her.

"Come on! Just try!" Jubes cried. "Please?"

"Please?" Kitty added, I glanced up and she looked at me like an injured puppy.

"Cut it out," I snapped. But she ignored me.

"Please?" Rogue added and I turned to her. Betrayal. Treachery. I thought she was on my side. They were all crazy, did they really expect me to be able to learn how to turn stuff invisible in less than 24 hours? "It would be nice to go dancing."

I let out a frustrated sigh, "Fine! Fine! If you all want me to burn out, fine! But it's on your heads. What happens if I can't? huh? Then what?"

"Then, at least we can say you tried, and we won't hold it against you," Jubes grinned. I sighed again, halfway between a groan.

"Fine," I muttered and she jumped up, grabbing her tube of lip close and handing it to me.

"Start with this." I just looked at her.

"You gotta start small," she informed me. I sighed, again, and swiped it from her, setting it on the bed and staring at it. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Touching the lip gloss tube, I searched inside my mind for the place where I kept my power. Slowly, I drew on it, thinking about what I wanted to happen. Then I heard a _snap!_ And I lost concentration. Trying again, I was just about to reach for it, when I heard the _snap!_ again. With that, I became more attuned to the physical world and I felt eyes on me, boring into my flesh. It was irritating, and it kept distracting me every time I tried to concentrate. When I tried to concentrate, every tiny noise suddenly became louder, a distraction, and I could hear them breathing, and Jubes snapping on her gum.

My eyes snapped open and I glared at them, "I can't do this if you're in the same room!"

"We didn't do anything," Kitty said, eyes wide.

"No, but I can feel you all watching me, and I can hear your breathing and Jubes' stupid gum and it's distracting!"

"Wow, someone's in a bad mood," Jubes said.

"Oh," I started, "I'm sorry if I'm not in the happiest mood in the world, now that I've been given an impossible task to do and I feel like I've been run over, repeatedly, by a small truck." Sarcasm filled my tone and I glared at her.

"Okay, okay," she held her hands up in surrender, getting off her bed. "We're going. We'll go see if Wolvie's done his interrogation, and I'll fill them in on the new plan."

"Wait," I looked at her, feeling stupid for only just realising. "There's going to be eight of us? You want me to turn eight people invisible by tomorrow night? You're crazy, it's impossible. If I can turn this lip gloss invisible by tomorrow night, it'll be an amazing feat!"

"Ah," Jubes grinned, "But you see, we know a lot about you Thea, and we know that when you're given an assignment, you rise to the task and get it done, quickly and efficiently. So think of this as an assignment. We'll go enlighten the boys with our plan."

I rolled my eyes at her, "What is the rest of the plan?"

"No, no, time for you to concentrate. Don't worry yourself with it, I'll write it down, and slip it under the door, so if you take a break, you can read it then. Good luck," she called, disappearing out the door behind Kitty and Rogue.

I rolled my eyes, "At least the school assignments mean I have a chance of succeeding," I mutter, turning back to the tube.

"_Alright Thea, you can do this. It's just a small tube, not very big. Concentrate,"_ I thought to myself.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and started again. I felt the power jump in readiness and I sent it out wards towards the lip gloss. Maybe if I surround it, I could turn the shield invisible and the lip gloss will be invisible too. I pushed it outwards, feeling the wisps circle the tube, sliding over it gracefully. I concentrated on the shield, thinking about how I wanted it to become transparent. I breathed deeply, focusing. I opened one eye only to see the lip gloss still staring at me. Damn it.

Okay, surrounding it won't work. Try something else. I focused back on the power inside my head, prodding at it and morphing it. I pushed it along my arm, buzzing under my skin, to my fingers, pushing it out directly to the tube. Maybe direct contact was needed, and I became absorbed in my task, thinking about how the tangible substance should turn from gold to opaque, then to clear, like glass. Instead of covering it like a second skin, I told the power to go mix with the atoms that made up the tube and its contents. When I opened one eye again, this time the tube looked a little blurry, like the way it would look if the person doing the looking was going blind. I made the power mix faster, but it didn't do any difference. I pulled it back, and the tube looked normal again. I sighed.

I felt sleepy. I was so exhausted; the last few days had been a killer, I couldn't believe I hadn't burned out yet, but I could feel myself getting close to my limit. There was only so much I could do, so much energy I could expend until it took its toll on me. Cupping my hands together, I told my power to form there, into a swirling mass of just pure energy. Energy in its rawest form was easiest to shape and manipulate, but it also took the strongest drain. The energy-like-mist moved outwards, encircling the tube, but I could still see the tube, sitting there on my quilt. The energy buzzed around, looking for something to do, to join with, to move, to destroy even, if I wanted it to. Slowly, I made it dissipate.

I flopped back on my bed. How was I supposed to do this? I didn't know where to begin, how to use my power, in what way I should transform it. I didn't have enough time or energy to try every possibility. I ran a hand through my hair, staring at the ceiling.

Emptying my mind, I made the power become a glass-like ball, only not as hard. Like a bubble, almost. The outside of the ball became clear and transparent, showing what was on the other side of the ball when you looked at it. The inside was like a shield, and I moved it over to the lip gloss, letting the ball open enough for the lip gloss to go in. I let out a cry of frustration.

I couldn't do it! I just couldn't. It wasn't fair of them to put this on me. I felt so lethargic and I felt buzzing on my skin, a sign that my body was going to sleep, when I had an idea. I sat up and walked out the room, looking down the corridors. Now, where was his room? I walked towards the main staircase and then kept walking, to the other side where all the guy's room were. Biting my lip, I looked up and down the hallway. Which way?

A door to my right swung open, and a boy about nine years old stood there, staring at me. "Can I help you?" he asked, his voice childlike. I smiled at him.

"Actually, you can. Do you know where Kurt's room is?"

"Kurt?" he frowned and I bit my lip.

"Yeah, blue?" I tried, trying to jog his memory.

"Oh, yeah, his room is just down the hall, that one there," he pointed to the fifth door along from his. The boy giggled, and it made me smile; he was so cute. "He waved in front of me one time."

"Thanks, sugar," I said, taking on Rogue's word. It just seemed to apply to him perfectly, he was so sweet. Rogue wouldn't mind, she'd stopped saying it lately. He smiled and went back in his room. I wonder what his power was, that made him come outside his room. I shrugged and walked to Kurt's room. Kurt was new, newer than me even, to the school, so now was a good time to invite him along. Maybe he'd like some new friends.

"His door swung open on my second knock and he stared at me. I smiled uncertainly. "Hi?"

"Hi," he replied, his accent strong.

"Do you mind if I come in?" I gestured to his room.

"Sure," he stood aside and I walked in. his room was smaller, but that was because it was only for two. As far as I was aware, he was sharing a room with Gambit. It would have solved the trouble of finding him if I had just paid attention to Jubes when she told me where she'd be when she went to see him.

"So…" I trailed off, not sure how to start.

"So?" he looked at me, waiting for me to explain myself.

"You can teleport, right?" I asked, getting to the point. No use in beating around the bush.

"How did you know that?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"When a new kid turns up, their power gets around the school like wildfire," I grinned.

"Oh. Vell, yeah, I can," he nodded.

"Could you show me?"

"No," he shook his head. "The professor has some sort of device around the school that doesn't let me teleport out, at least, not until I'm eighteen. Someone named Forge, or something, made it. I'm assuming this is about the club?" he asked. I glanced up at him quickly.

"Yeah," I grinned sheepishly. "Gambit told you?" He nodded. "Huh, I didn't know you were coming."

He shrugged, "I didn't know if I was until just now."

I smiled, "It'll be good for you to come along, too," I said warmly. If Jubes and Rogue and Kitty hadn't have been so nice to me when I got here, I don't know how I'd have survived. He smiled back, and his teeth looked very white in comparison to his blue skin. "Wait, you can become invisible in shadows, right?" I asked, a new plan forming in my head. He nodded. "Can you turn others invisible too?" if he could, it took the pressure of me, and I wouldn't have to try to learn this impossible thing. But then he shook his head and I sighed, disappointed.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"It's not your fault." I stared at the floor and then had another idea. I was full of them lately. Maybe I should be exhausted more often; I seemed to come up with my best ideas when I was. "Could you teach me?" I asked.

"Teach you? To turn invisible?" confusion marred his blue face. I wondered what the markings along his skin were. "I don't think I can. I just do it, I don't know how to explain," he started.

"Try," I begged.

"Uh, I just sort of concentrate and then…vill myself to become invisible," he shrugged.

"Will yourself to turn invisible?" he nodded. I pulled the tube of lip gloss out of my pocket. "Will it to be invisible," I muttered, frowning at the object I was no beginning to hate. _Will_ it. It did nothing and the power snapped back into my head. It was becoming harder to use, now that I was tired. I sighed and sat down. It was just no good. I couldn't turn anything invisible in this way. I needed to be rested. I needed time. I needed a pressure-free zone. I had none. It was impossible for me to learn a new gift like this.

_But what if I just amplified it?_

My head snapped up and I looked at Kurt whose eyes widened at my sudden change, "Vhat?"

"If you turned invisible, maybe I could amplify it. Like, spread it. Could we try?" I asked, vigour renewed at the prospect of hope. I could see why hope was such a powerful tool.

He shrugged and closed the curtains to his window and turned off his light. Shadows were cast into the room and he moved to the corner, where it was darkest. I grabbed his hand and closed my eyes, "Go invisible and I'll see if I can amplify it."

I didn't see him vanish, but I felt it. There was a sort of buzz, an undercurrent running along his skin. I didn't even know how he was doing it, but it didn't matter. If I could tap into it somehow, I might be able to stretch it. If we broke out of here, it would be at night, so plenty of shadows to hide in. I concentrated on the tingles, attaching my power to it, I sort of pulled part of it from him; it replaced itself, which was a good sign. I pulled more, letting it slide over my skin, down my arms over my face until it was coating me. I opened my eyes and couldn't see anything. I moved my arm out in front of me, but I couldn't see it. it was a strange feeling, to know that I'd moved it but I couldn't actually see it move. I was panting with the effort, "Are you okay?' I asked Kurt. He jumped at my voice. I could feel his life energy there, his emotions, his aura, I just couldn't see him.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah," a smile spread on my lips and I laughed, "I'm doing it! I can do it!" yes! Oh, thank goodness. I let go of Kurt's hand and I became visible again, my hand out in the air in front of me. A second later, Kurt reappeared and he opened the window again.

"Thank you!" I grinned, hugging him before jumping up and down. I headed for the door, "I've got to tell Jubes. You're definitely coming, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, defvinitely," he grinned.

"Great," I shrieked, and opened the door, heading for the TV/games room area, where I was sure Jubes would be. When I saw her, I tackled her to the ground, using my power to soften the landing, but not by much. I was laughing and then she started laughing, "Guess what?' I giggled.

"You did it?" she grinned. "I knew you could do it!"

I stood up, offering her my hand and turning to the rest of them. Bobby looked pale, so did Pyro, and I wondered if it was because of Logan. "Not quite. I just couldn't do it myself, it's impossible in these kind of conditions, but," I said, holding up a finger. "Not if I have help." I grinned.

"What do you mean?" Colossus asked. He was big and muscly, not quite like Logan but close.

"I can amplify Kurt's power!" I said excitedly.

"Ah, but mi chere," Gambit began, his voice smooth, his French accent so clear. He called every girl mi chere, and it was a wonder Jubes hadn't gotten jealous yet. She was the jealous type. "Kurt said he wasn't wanting to go."

"Well, he said he was now, so problem solved," I smiled.

"Oh, really?" his grin was sly.

"What?' I frowned.

"Nothing," he shook his head, but the smirk remained. I shrugged, "So, what's the plan?"

"Okay," Jubes sat forward, ready to explain. "First, we get all fan-tabulous and we meet down at the garage after ten thirty. Everybody has to go down, one at a time so as not to draw attention. We have to be subtle about it, not obvious." I bit my lip from telling her that the definition of subtle _was_ 'not obvious'. "And then, you magic us some invisibility all the way out of the gate. Getting past the gate will be the hardest part, but I think we can do it. It's got some nifty places to grip so we can climb over it. Then you can probably un-invisible us. Then we party." She stared at me expectantly.

"That's your plan, after a whole hour and a half of planning?" I asked.

"Hey, a lot of thought went into it. Plus, some of that time I was planning my outfit. I know what I'm gunna wear. Besides, there's a lot of side planning as well," she told me huffily, crossing her arms.

"Like what?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Like, Rogue is going to 'accidently' brush against Logan tomorrow to get his healing factor, so that then you can take it from her and heal up, because honestly, it looks like you face was a punching bag," she told me, payback for insulting her plan.

I threw my hands up in the air, "Jubes! Didn't you learn anything about the whole invisible thing? I can't just learn a new power like that. God, I don't even know if I can do it."

"Chica, there's only so much makeup can do. It's up to you," she shrugged. I sighed in frustration. Jubes moved closer to Gambit, making room for me and I plonked down. The chair was extremely comfortable under my back and I felt myself dozing, zoning in and out of conversation. At one point Kurt came down and joined in the conversation, but not before Gambit shot him a sly look and Kurt bit his lip, grinning sheepishly, as if to say 'I couldn't help myself', then I was drifting again, halfway between waking and sleeping, where I heard the conversations around me and they mixed with my dreams. At some point my head landed on Jubes' shoulder.

At one point I woke back up and Pyro glanced over at me, "Thea, you done your art assignment yet?"

I blinked, coming back to the present and stared at him. It was hard to look at him the same way now that I knew he supposedly came up with a plan to break us out just to hit on me. "Uh, almost. Just need to finish some bits up."

"Yeah, me too. I probably shouldn't have left it so late," he grinned in his 'I don't really care' way. John wasn't one for the rules so much, and from his attitude you would guess that he just coasted through his lessons, but he actually got pretty decent marks.

I rolled my eyes, "You say that every time and yet you never do."

"Maybe I just need someone to keep me in line," he grinned, showing his teeth in a daring smile. My smile froze in place. Was that flirting? Was he flirting with me? God, I was so bad at this stuff, I couldn't tell. Maybe I was just overreacting, over analysing everything now that I was aware of how he might feel towards me. Then again, Rogue may have gotten it wrong; he might not be interested at all, and just wanted to go to a club.

"Or maybe you just need better self-discipline," I smiled. Was that the right kind of response? John's face broke into an ecstatic grin and I was surprised how much that alarmed me. I didn't want John to like me, because, I realised, I didn't like him in that way. He was nice, funny, he got my sarcasm better than most, but sometimes he could be mean, without realising the effect his words had. He was a good friend, but that was all; a friend. Guilt rushed through me at this; I wished I could like him like that. But I couldn't, because when I imagined kissing someone, he had a strong jaw, extended sideburns along the side of his face, and cool black eyes that could calm me faster than a good book. When I imagined holding someone's hand, he had adamantium claws in them. Not that anyone was ever going to know that.

Luckily, Kurt took that moment to interject into the conversation and I was thankful, because it gave my brain a break from over thinking everything. "Do you think you could help me with my History essay?" he asked me and I smiled. School work I knew. It was a safe zone, no trouble there.

"Of course. Which topic did you choose?"

"Fall of the Old Kingdom," he said.

I grinned, "Me too. That makes it easier. I've done mine, but I'm sure there's so much I could do to make it better."

"Yeah, right, it's probably already perfect," he grinned and I shook my head.

"You give me too much credit," I half smiled.

"You don't give yourself enough credit," he replied and I stared at him. Where was this coming from? Yesterday Kurt had never said more than two words to me, now he was complimenting me? He didn't even know much about me, what made him think I didn't give myself enough credit?

"You're sweet," I said, laughing, "But completely misguided. Whoever told you that is a liar."

He watched me laugh and shook his head, "It's my own observation."

I just shook my head.

"Hey blue, what's with the markings?" John asked, though his tone conveyed nothing but annoyance. No genuine interest there.

"John," I admonished. Sometimes, he could be rude. But John just stared at Kurt, who stared back, no trace or glimmer of friendliness in their faces. My eyes widened, unsure what to do. On the other end of the couch, I heard Gambit let out a laugh and I turned to him. He was grinning at Kurt and Pyro. "What's going on?" I asked him.

He grinned at Jubes, his arm around her and she rolled her eyes, both sharing some sort of amusement and clearly not letting me in on it. "Clueless," she trilled.

"Let's watch a movie," Rogue said, getting up from her position beside Colossus and moving to the TV cabinet, searching for a movie.

"No chick flicks," Bobby said to her.

"But Bobby," Kitty began but he just shook his head.

"No way. You girls chose last time, it's our turn."

"Fine," Rogue sighed, sitting back down and John got up, searching through the movies.

"Rush Hour?" he held up the movie, grinning at me.

"I love that movie," I mutter. John knows that. Kitty gives me a meaningful stare.

"Yeah, I feel like a good laugh," Kurt said and I turned to him, smiling.

"One of the funniest movies," I said.

"Definitely," he replied.

We settled down to watch the hilarities of Rush Hour and I laughed so hard at some parts, tears came to my eyes. It didn't matter I'd seen the movie so many times before, it was still funny. We had to cut the movie short when dinner was ready, but we resumed afterwards. When it finished I stood up and stretched, claiming sleepiness and headed upstairs to bed. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so what did you think?<strong>

**This chapter and the next are like a gift to you - I wrote them quickly because I'm about to enter an exam block and I'm not sure how long it will be before I get a chance to update again. Hopefully only two weeks, but you never know.**

**So, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Thank you to my amazing reviewers. You guys make my day!**


	9. Chapter 9

The school day passed quickly, in a blur. I zoned out in classes, only coming to realise that I should be paying attention just as it was nearing the end of the lesson. I couldn't afford to not pay attention in class when I had extra classes. I passed a bathroom on my way to English and decided a little splash of water might help wake me up. I grimaced at my reflection, turning the knob attached to the sink and letting the cool water flow over my hands. The water soothed me, trickling down to my neck. I grabbed paper towel and pat my face dry before throwing it away. I scrutinised myself in the mirror. The bruising on my face was a purple colour and the cut above my eyebrow looked angry. I sighed. My body ached all over but at least I didn't feel like my body was in danger of shutting down for a while. The early night had given me extra time to regenerate.

I combed my hair with my fingers, weaving the hip-length wavy brown strands into a loose braid. Keep it off my face. I snapped the hair tie off my wrist and twisted it around the end of my plat. Distantly I noticed that I looked kind of annoyed. Which was unsurprising. I just had to last another couple hours. I could do it. I made a vow to concentrate in my remaining classes.

The end of the day came sooner than I was expecting, and then I was getting stuck into my homework if we were really busting out. At seven o'clock, Jubes declared that if we didn't start getting ready now, we wouldn't have enough time. Three and a half hours seemed like more than enough to me, but I obliged. Jubes shot gunned the first shower. She'd be a while, so I settled back into do some more calculus when Rogue sat down on my bed beside me.

"I have Wolverine's healing factor," she told me. "Do you want to try?" I bit my lip and stared at her uncertainly.

"I guess there's no harm," I bit my lip. I'd only done this one time, by accident. I'd brushed against Rogue, and she'd freaked out but nothing had happened to me. Then the next thing I knew, I could turn my arm into steel. Rogue had accidently touched Colossus in the same week. We'd put it down to my blocking; I could sort of block my…psychic imprint, so that no one could follow me in anyway. If they were a telepath, they couldn't read my thoughts. If they were empathetic, they couldn't feel my emotions, and what not. But when my skin touched Rogue's, it changed and it was like I took her power, like what her own power did, and it protected me from her. It'd never happened before and we were both shocked. It was confusing, but if I held onto her for long enough I might be able to use the healing factor she'd absorbed.

I gripped her arm and a tingle ran through me. Under where all my cuts and bruises were, it burned as the cells healed themselves. I let go and my hand lifted to where I knew the cut above my eye was. Smooth skin met my touch, "Wow."

"Wow," she agreed. Jubes emerged from the bathroom, steam billowing behind her and Kitty ran in before anyone else could. We got ready for some fun; I took a shower, blow dried my hair, then straightened it. Short wispy bits framed my face, and I pulled the two sides back, pinning in there. It fell down my back in a shiny curtain. Then Jubes did my makeup, sighing dramatically when I told her to only do it lightly. I was more into a natural look. Black eyeliner and mascara made my eyes look bigger. Then I pulled on the dress she bought me, admiring it in the mirror; she was right, it highlighted my small waist and hips and my legs looked longer because the dress was so short. It was surprisingly comfortable even if it squashed my breasts together and made them look bigger than they already were. I paired it with my black ankle boots that Rogue got me for my birthday, and my worn, short leather jacket I'd had forever.

"Oh, oh, we are looking fine!" Jubes said. Her own hair was spiked up around her head, with glitter spray, she had a short, peal coloured sequinned dress on that was only a fraction longer than mine, with white heels and a thin gold bracelet. The dress highlighted her olive skin.

Kitty had curled her thick hair and I wondered if it would actually stay like that for the whole night. She had a pair of ripped skinny jeans on, red high heels and a long red singlet that was belted around her waist with string the same shade of red.

Rogue had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, her hair naturally dead straight. Black skinny jeans hugged her long legs, paired with black leather, knee-high boots and a shiny forest green singlet, cut off at her mid-riff layered over a darker, long-sleeved green skivvy, and gold hoop earrings.

"We do look good," I agreed. Then I started to get nervous. We shouldn't be doing this. It was against the rules. Professor Xavier had been so good to us, giving us a place to live and learn safely, and how were we repaying that? By breaking the rules he'd set up for our own safety.

"Oh, no, I know that look," Jubes sighed. "Come on girl, live a little."

"This is wrong," I mutter. "We shouldn't."

"Too late now," Kitty grinned. "I'll go down first. Oh, and did Jubes tell you? We're meeting just inside the first lot of trees instead of at the garage. Too much light." They must have decided on this after I went to bed.

Kitty went down. A couple minutes after, Rogue went down, the Jubes. I stood there, biting my lip. I shouldn't. But I want to. I shouldn't want to. But I do. Guilt raged through me and I twisted my fingers around each other. I shouldn't. the Professor had set these rules up for a reason, and by ignoring them, we were blatantly disregarding his authority and kindness and his rules. Jeez, why did this have to happen to me? It would be a lot easier if I could just buck up like Kitty or Rogue or Jubes and walk down those stairs. They were waiting for me. Biting my lip I took a deep breath through my nose, told my clammy hands to stop it, and went down stairs, walking along next to the walls. It was pretty deserted at this time of the night, so it was easy, but I winced at every clicking sound my heels made. Then I rounded a corner and saw the outline of someone very big leaning against the wall. Three guesses as to who it was, and the first two don't count.

_Shit._

I walked back around the corner and stayed there, pressed against the wall. My eyes, wide now, darted around as I tried to figure out how to get to the woods a different way. Funny how when you panic, the layout of the mansion suddenly becomes confusing and unclear.

"Thea," a gruff voice called out and I grimaced, staying still. Maybe he wouldn't realise if no one answered him. There was a half exasperated, half annoyed sort of laugh-sigh thing and then he said, "I can smell you."

Smell me? Did I smell bad? All I could smell was my milk and honey shower wash. Oh. He was a feral. Duh. Of course he could smell stuff, probably from a mile away. I sighed and rounded the corner, walking along to him.

"Where do you think you're going?" a voice growled at me and I winced. Great, just great.

"Kitchen?" I asked, an impossible-to-stop smile lifting my lips. It's a wonder I didn't laugh.

He took a step back and looked me up and down and I bit my lip. He tensed and cleared his throat, "Dressed like that?"

"Uh," frantically, I searched with my mind for Jubes'.

_Code Big and Gruff_, I thought at her.

_No way! Get out of there!_

_I can't. He's staring at me right now._

_At you, or you boobs? _I could hear her internal laughter.

_Jubes! Not helping. You're going to have to go now, if you want to get out. I'll stall._

_Not without you, chica!_

_Just go! I wasn't that into the idea anyway. Besides, if Logan's here, then they are less likely to be looking for you. You won't need to be invisible._

_But – _

_Jubes, just go! Have fun for me._

_We shouldn't._

_Jubes!_

_Alright! Pyro and Kurt are gunna be bummed._

_They'll live. See you tomorrow morning._

"Kid?" Logan's voice brought me back to the physical world. I swallowed.

"I'm not a kid," I said, exasperated.

"Well?" he growled at me. I'm a terrible liar; everybody knows this. I can't keep a straight face and I end up smiling, which apparently is a dead giveaway. Sometimes, I think it's self-inflicted, that subconsciously I'm not letting myself lie, subconsciously, I want to get caught, because if I succeeded in a lie, I would feel guilty and I'd be miserable until I told the truth.

So, I couldn't lie, and if he asked me if there were others involved, I wouldn't be able to not tell him the truth. So, I obviously was left with one option; distraction. Distract him away from asking me any questions about my plans. How in the world was I supposed to do that?

_Jubes! _I searched for her again, and found that she was climbing over the gate. Wow, they work fast.

_Jesus Christ, you scared the crap out of me!_

_Jubes, how am I going to distract Logan? You know I can't lie, and if he asks about yous…_

_Yeah, I know, you'll blab without meaning to. Okay, listen closely. Place your hands on your hips, lean forward a little to give him a great view of your cleavage and say, preferably in a sultry voice, 'Hey there big boy'._

_Jubes!_

_Okay, okay. Just be in control, girl. Don't act guilty; technically, you've done nothing wrong; you're still in the school grounds. Ask him if he likes the dress. That should work. But if not, just stick as close to the truth as you can, without telling him the whole truth. That should help you._

I looked at Logan, whose arms were crossed over his chest. "Do you like my dress?" I asked innocently.

Momentary surprise flickered over his face, disappearing so fast I almost missed it. His eyes travelled down my body and suddenly I was very intent on reading his facial expressions. I wanted his approval, I wanted him to like the dress. My skin heated up under his gaze and I went very still, waiting. He cleared his throat, quickly bringing his eyes back up to mine. I couldn't read anything on his face; it was a stony mask. He either wasn't interested or he was good at hiding stuff.

Down the hall, a boy, maybe a year younger than me, walked towards us. Probably heading for the kitchen for a snack. He slowed down when he realised we were watching him and looked at us both before stopping his eyes on me. Very slowly, he let his eyes roam over my body, making it obvious he was looking. It made me a little uncomfortable, not at all like when Logan looked, but it was flattering when he grinned, letting out a low wolf-whistle, his eyes dark and heated.

I giggled and smiled; it was a heady feeling knowing that someone of the opposite sex thought you looked good. Good enough to whistle at.

"Keep walkin', bub," Logan growled, his voice menacing, and the kid's eyes widened as he scuttled away, as fast as his skinny legs could take him. With his arms crossed, it emphasised his biceps and if I wasn't a girl, he would look very foreboding and intimidating. Logan seemed to have that effect on people. Or, guys. "Christ, would you cover up?" he said to me, gesturing at my jacket.

I grinned, "Is it distracting you?"

"Just do it," he growled.

"Can't," I grinned. "This jacket's more for show; it doesn't zip up; it doesn't even reach together at the front."

Logan was wearing a thick flannel shirt unbuttoned over the top of a white singlet, which he gruffly took off and handed to me, muttering about 'useless jackets'. I slipped my own jacket off, handing it to him to hold, and pulled his on. I figured there was no point arguing with him, besides, I didn't mind wearing his clothes. A wave of his scent surrounded me when I put it on, clean and woodsy and male; it was delicious. I held my arms out in front of me and giggled. The sleeves were way too long, and his shirt, which fit him properly, was longer on my than my dress, and many sized too big.

"Don't you think it's a bit sus if I'm wearing what looks like nothing but your shirt?" I raised an eyebrow. He looked like he hadn't thought of that. "Don't worry, I can fix it." I buttoned up the first four buttons, then pulled the shirt up, twisting the loose parts of the shirt around my waist and tucking it underneath to hold it. "Ta da!" I did a spin for him and when I looked at him, I swear to God I saw the ends of a vanishing smile. "Not exactly up to Jubes fashion standards, but I just won't tell her."

"Now, where were you goin'? And don't say kitchen again. We both know that's a lie," he growled, waiting for an answer. Damnit! Oh yeah, talking about the dress definitely distracted him. Not! Jesus, no what was I gunna say? Stick as close to the truth as I can, without revealing the whole thing. Okay. I could do that.

"To meet someone," I said. Yes, that was technically true; I was going to meet more than just one person, but still. I kept my eyes level with his, willing him to believe it.

"A boy?" he asked. Who was he, my father? Actually, scratch that, my father wasn't like that, and I definitely didn't want Logan to be my father.

I thought of John, Kurt, Colossus, Bobby and Gambit. They were all boys, so technically I was. "Yes," I said, the word sounding truthful.

"Dressed like that? What were you gunna do? Never mind, I can guess," his jaw locked and his forehead creased, like he was angry. Or disappointed.

"What?" I asked. What was I going to do? Dressed like this? Oh. Oh! Dressed revealingly, going to meet a boy at night when we could be alone. Jesus. "No, you really couldn't guess. It's not what you think. God, there's no one here I'm interested in, like _that_. Jesus, I'm not having this conversation with you."

"Then what?" he asked. Was that relief I detected in his voice? Or just my mind giving me what I want to hear?

"What, a girl's not allowed to look nice now? Would you prefer I wore a garbage bag?" I quipped, slightly annoyed. It really wasn't any of his business why I wore the things I did. I wasn't about to tell him I was dressed like this to go to a club, and I wasn't going to say I was dressed like this for a guy, which in a confusing sort of way, I was. But the next best thing was to get defensive. I placed a hand on my hip and angled my leg out. Trade mark 'are you really gunna tell me what to do?' move.

"Yes," he growled at me. "You know the rules about male female interaction, so get your butt back to bed."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious." He looked it, too.

"I'm allowed to be up at this time," I reminded him.

"But I'm telling you to get back to bed, so go," he prodded me.

I sighed dramatically and turned around, heading back to my room. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Logan following behind me. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you go to bed, then I'm going to bed," he said.

"Wait, you weren't on duty?" I asked, confused. Then what was he doing out in the hall? "What were you doing?"

"None of yer darn business," he growled. His English got less proper when he was annoyed, I'd noticed. Really though, there was no other word for it; he did growl. It was kind of sexy.

I stopped at my door and turned around, "Wait," I said, before he started to walk up the next lot of stairs to get to the teacher's rooms. "Did you like the dress?" I asked. He'd never actually given me an answer.

"Go to bed," he muttered forcefully.

I smiled a little, "I'm gunna take that as a yes," I called after him. Quietly, so I didn't disturb people in the rooms beside mine, but loud enough that he could hear.

"Take it any damn way you please, just get to bed," then he disappeared around the corner of the stairs and I walked into my room, feeling ridiculously happy and grinning like a fool. I removed the makeup, put on my pyjamas and went to bed, still grinning.

I drifted into a peaceful sleep. What seemed like seconds later, I heard my phone ring, vibrating against the wooden bedside table. I groaned and reached for it, squinting when the light coming from the keys burned my eyes. The room was dark and outside the window it was still night.

I answered it without checking to see who it was. "Hello?"

"Chica," a thin, wavery voice came through my phone. It sort of echoed and in the background I could hear loud noise.

I sat up straight, looking at the clock on the bedside table, "Jubes, it's two thirty in the morning."

"I need help," static sounded through my phone and I held it away from my ear, wincing.

"What?" I repeated down the phone. Through my fog-addled brain, I realised something was wrong.

"I need help!" she shouted, followed by laughter, but it wasn't her usual trilling laughter, it was laughter like she couldn't really understand what's going on. Static filled the phone and I listened harder now, more awake.

"What's wrong?" I asked, needing the facts.

"Boys drunk, in a fight…" static. "Don't know…" static. "Help.." she sounded hysterical, her words slightly slurred.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. Where's Rogue and Kitty? Where are you?"

"Kitty and Bobby disappeared somewhere… Rogue…fight…hiding in bathroom," that would explain the strange echoing I could hear, and the background noise. "Blue Moon club. I don't know what to do, chica."

Neither do I.

* * *

><p><strong>So, I hope you liked it.<strong>

**Like I said at the end of my last chapter - I'm not sure when i'll get to update again, but hopefully it won't be as long as last time. I promise.**

**Of course, love goes to my reviewers and those who alert and favourite and follow this story, and me for that matter. Whenever I see any of that, I end up smiling for the rest of the day like an idiot. So, THANK YOU! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay, okay, just hang tight, I'm on my way," I told her, my brain firing up, forming a plan. The boys were drunk and in a fight, Jubes was drunk and confused, I didn't know about Rogue and Kitty. I just hoped they hadn't started using their powers. How was I going to handle that?

I couldn't. But I knew who could. I ran out my bedroom, not bothering to get changed; it didn't matter and it wasn't a priority. Running up the stairs I thought back to my conversations with Rogue, when she used to talk about Logan before he got back from wherever it is that he was. She had woken him up from a nightmare before, and I swear she told me what room he was staying in. more than likely he had the same room this time as he did last time.

Rogue's southern accented voice floated through my head; _I heard him thrashing around and it was easy to tell it was coming from the last door on the right._

At the top of the stairs I turned right and at the very end was a door, which I knocked on quietly. A second later it swung open and Logan stood there with no shirt on and a pair of black boxers. I blushed but ignored it. Sort of; it was hard to ignore the defined abs and muscles on his chest and the short black hairs. He frowned at me and I blushed harder. There was no sleepiness to him; he looked awake and alert, the line around his eyes deepening when he frowned. Either he could wake up extremely fast or he hadn't gone to sleep yet.

"I need your help," I whispered, tugging on the bottom of my pyjama shorts, trying to make them a little longer; the elastic band had ridden all the way up to my waist so the ends were only just peeking out from under my singlet. He automatically stepped back and let me enter his room, which was surprisingly neat. For some reason, I thought I'd see clothing thrown everywhere. Unsurprisingly, though, was the fact that it was practically bare. No homey items to be seen that made a room comfortable and inviting. He didn't seem like the type for that. I bit my lip and he watched me, waiting and probably wondering why I was bothering him at two thirty in the morning. "I lied to you."

He raised an eyebrow at me, a signal for me to continue, "About?"

"Okay, technically, I didn't lie to you, I just didn't tell you the whole truth. Which isn't the point right now, so I'm just going to tell you." I took a deep breath. "Jubes, Kitty, Rogue, Bobby, John, Kurt, Remy and Colossus went to a club, and you caught me before I could go as well, but I told them to go because I wasn't so interested in the idea and just then Jubes called me and said that they were drunk and the boys and possibly Rogue were in a fight and I don't know if they're using their powers, and Jubes sounded scared and she asked me for help, but I didn't know what to do, so I came to you and I need your help and I'm sorry," I said in a rush, staring at him with wide, pleading eyes. "I don't even care if you yell at me, I deserve it, but could you do it after I get them back please?"

He frowned at me for a moment, staring, "Where are they?"

"Blue Moon," I whispered. I don't know why I was whispering; the name of the club just gave me a ominous feeling.

He nodded, "Go back to bed. I'll deal with it." he walked over to a chest of draws and started searching for what I assumed was clothing.

"What? No. I'm going with you," I frowned. How could he expect me to be able to just fall back asleep knowing that my friends could be in trouble?

"Go back to bed." He sounded adamant, "You're not going. That club is shady; if you kids were gunna go to one, why did you have to choose the sleazy one?" I winced, not even bothering to tell him we weren't kids, because from the way we were acting, you couldn't tell. He was right, we were kids.

"Jubes sounded hysterical. You really want to deal with that? I can calm her down," I told him, insistent.

He looked at me for a moment; then he must have decided he didn't want to deal with a blubbering teenage girl so he nodded. "Meet me down at the garage."

I nodded and went out his door, down to the garage and waited. He appeared seconds later and he gestured to the minivan, grumbling about having to drive it. I supposed it really wasn't his style. "The professor knows. He wants to speak with you when we get back."

I nodded. I expected as much. I got in the front seat and Logan drove out, entering the code to the front gate and driving along the road faster than what I thought was safe in this big minivan. I'm pretty sure he was pushing it faster than it could really go, probably trying to compensate the lameness of the vehicle for its speed. "When did she call you?"

"Maybe five minutes ago," I said, watching him drive past a stop sign without even stopping. "Jubes is in the bathroom I think, Bobby and Kitty are somewhere else, and the rest are in a fight, or something. I'm not sure about Rogue; she might be in the fight too."

He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"What would you have done if you were in my position?" I asked quietly, looking at my hands resting in my lap. Who in their right mind would dob on their friends and get them in trouble for going to a club like that? Yeah, it probably would have saved a lot of trouble, but I wasn't going to rat them out. He glanced at me, seeming to concede. "I thought they'd be okay. Guess I was wrong."

"Guess so."

"Don't think that I'm not kicking myself here. If something serious has happened to them, I won't be able to forgive myself, okay? I should have convinced them not to go," I snapped at him. He could stop making me feel worse now.

"Then why were you all dressed up to go, too?" he retorted.

"I honestly don't know. I don't think a club is really my scene but I got caught up in the excitement of it, and then it was too late to do much. At least, if I went with them, I could keep watch over them and stop them from doing something stupid, like getting in a fight," I sighed.

The minivan became silent again and I looked out the window, watching buildings fly past and high rises. Logan cleared his throat and I glanced over, "Your face."

"What about it?" I asked, reaching up a hand and brushing it along my skin.

"It's not…beat up," he observed.

"It's not," I confirmed just as I saw a blue neon sign flashing 'Blue Moon'. Logan pulled over to the side of the road and got out. The road was deserted, and I understood what he said about it being shady. On either side of the building was a dark alleyway and despite the lights from the buildings, you couldn't see more than two meters down them. The whole street had a gloomy exterior, a foreboding sort of aura about it. The shop fronts had metal bars lining the windows, which didn't help if the street was going for a 'welcoming' feel, and the building had a dirty sort of grimy look to them. Not to be judgmental or anything, but it wasn't the kind of street I'd feel comfortable walking down. Surprisingly, people were still waiting out the front of club, trying to get in at this time. I would have given up by now.

I got out the car too, and the cold night air gave me goose bumps as it brushed against my warm skin. When I breathed out, it fogged the air. I folded my arms together, trying to conserve body heat, but the cold air swirled freely around my legs. I went to follow Logan but he growled at me to stay put. He would have been absolute about that, if right at that moment, a tall guy wearing a long black trench coat didn't stumble out of the alleyway on the right side, closest to us, and give me the once over. He walked slowly down the street, keeping his eyes on me and I knew my face conveyed my fear. Logan growled at him, but the guy didn't seem perturbed, he just kept staring at me.

I swallowed. "Stick close to me," Logan growled, handing me his leather jacket. I slipped it on, grateful for the warmth and extra clothing. I should have thought to put something else on before coming. I zipped the too big jacket up and shivered. My legs were still bare and exposed, but I felt considerably better. I followed behind Logan, sticking as close to him as possible without actually touching him. He walked to the front of the line and went to walk in, not even bothering to show any ID, but the bouncer stopped him. I had to give him credit, he tried to stop Logan even though he had a least a foot on him height wise and much more muscle.

"You're lucky I don't sue you, bub, you've got a bunch of teenagers in there, so you can either point me in the right direction and get out my way, or make this hard on you," he growled. I bit my lip to stop a grin.

"Just follow the corridor, man," the bouncer said, stepping aside. People waiting in the line grumbled and one shouted that it wasn't fair. I followed Logan, but the bouncer stopped me.

"She's not twenty one," he said. Was it the vulnerability that was undoubtedly shining on my face that gave it away?

"She's with me," Logan grunted and brushed past. I stuck close.

The club smelled like sweat; it cloyed together in a thick, sticky scent and I imagined it must be hard on Logan; if I was feeling the beginnings of a headache, I couldn't imagine how he would be feeling with his heightened senses. It was considerably warmer in here. We came to the main dance floor and my eyes widened. The music was so loud and people were dancing, pressed close together to fit as many people as possible in. Coloured lights flashed around the room and as we moved forward, people bumped into us, glaring like we were the ones who hit them. Women and the odd guy gave Logan looks, some beckoning him over, but Logan ignored them all. As we pushed into the throng of it, I gripped Logan's arm so as not to lose him. There were so many people and they were all taller than me. I felt boxed in. the mass of people pushed me close to Logan, not that I minded, and my face was practically buried in his back, his flannel shirt brushing against my cheek, as I gripped his arm and attempted to not lose him. This close I could smell him clearly, and it became more overwhelming than the stink of sweat, which I was grateful for.

At the bar, where the majority of people seemed to congregate; we found the guys, except Bobby who was obviously somewhere else with Kitty. John was nursing a black eye, slumped over the bench, but Gambit, Colossus and Kurt were shouting at a group of four other guys. And then they lunged at each other and Logan moved forward, pulling them off each other. I stood there with wide eyes, unsure what to do. I spotted Rogue behind Colossus, and she pushed past him, smacking one of the other guys upside his head, before kicking him in the crotch. Jesus, what had he done to piss her off? She was yelling at him as he curled up on the floor, whimpering. The thumping of the music made it impossible for me to hear what she was saying, but I could detect her strong southern accent.

Her actions spurred the other into action, and then they were fighting, a chaotic mess. Logan dived into the middle of it, breaking it up, with difficulty. On any other day, when they weren't drunk, they probably would have listened to him immediately, but with a little liquid courage, they were braver and more daring. I stood there, unsure what to do, and the vibrations from the music tickled my feet, working its way through my body. It was sensory overload, and I had to work hard to keep my power from reaching out to people's minds. With some many in such close range, their mental voice were practically shouting at me and it only made my headache worse.

"Get your firecracker friend," Logan said to me, just before he caught the fist of one guy who dared to take a swing at him. Clearly he was somewhat in control here, so I stood on my tiptoes and searched for a sign indicating a bathroom. I spotted one across the room, so I made my move, darting around people.

Not fast enough though, because a guy grabbed my arm and swung me back around, "Hey there baby," he slurred and my nose wrinkled in disgust, both at his actions and his pungent breath.

"Ugh, get off me," I said, wrenching my arm free.

"Awh, don't be like that. You're real pretty," he went to touch my hair and I jumped backwards out of his reach. I kept moving, away from him and eventually he turned back to someone else and I felt safe enough to take my eyes off him. I pushed the bathroom door open, walking in, and immediately felt the temperature drop a couple degrees. I spotted the source, an open window, at the same time I spotted Jubes, who was slumped over a toilet seat, eyes closed, stall door wide open. The music wasn't as loud in here, but the thrumming still made its way to me.

"Jubes!" I shouted, feeling the clammy skin of her face with my own cold hands. Anxiety rushed through me, which subsided only a little when her eyes flickered open.

"Chica?" she rasped at me.

"Yes! Yes, it's me, I'm here. So is Logan," I sooth, brushing her hair back and attempting to pull her towards the sink and away from her position on the filthy floor. I didn't even want to think about what's been on it, and her face so close to the toilet seat only made me feel sick.

"I don't see him," she slurred, her unfocused eyes, sliding past me to look over my shoulder.

"No, he's breaking up a fight," I said, sweating at the effort it took to move her small frame to the sink.

Suddenly her eyes widened as she became a bit more lucid and she gasped, "Chica, chica, the boys, there in a fight!"

"I know," I turned the tap on, and brought the cool water to wash over her face. There was no soap to be seen. "It's okay, Logan's dealing with it."

"Wolvie's here?" she asked, looking around. Her confusion made me panic again and I tried to remain as calm as I could. "Where am I?" she asked, just as she vomited into the sink. I winced and kept the tap running. Her confusion had me worried, and I felt prickles at the back of my neck, the way I always do when I'm frightened.

I concentrated on my breathing, because I was afraid that if I panicked, it would incite panic in Jubes, and in her current state, I didn't know what that would lead. When she was done I grabbed some paper towels, at least they had some of those, I mean honestly, would a little soap kill them?, and wet them, wiping at her face. Her eyes welled up with tears and she turned into my shoulder, crying.

"I want to go home," she managed to get out between great raking sobs and I smoothed her hair back.

"Okay," I said softly, "Okay, we'll go home. We're going home and you're going to be just fine. I promise, everything will be just fine." I murmured to her, attempting to keep her calm, and I shifted her arm around my shoulder to support her weight, leading her out of the bathroom.

"I feel dizzy," she sniffled, eyes closed as she leaned on me.

"Okay, we'll stop for a moment," we were almost at the bathroom door and I hoped no one wanted to use it because the door would hit us when they entered. "You okay?"

She moaned, not even saying anything and I felt even more nervous, "Okay, come on, we're almost there. We're going home." She nodded and I took it as a sign that she understood me.

"Why do you smell like a boy?" she asked me, as I pushed the door open. I didn't let myself laugh because it would mean bouncing her head on my shoulder and I don't think Logan would appreciate vomit on his jacket.

"Because I'm wearing Logan's jacket," I told her. Her face scrunched up as her ears were assaulted with the loud music, but she leaned closer to my ear, her breath hot.

"Are you sleeping with him?" her voice was wavery again, shaky and I looked at her in alarm.

"No, Jubes, I'm not," I said and she nodded, hopefully in understanding. I looked up and froze.

Two meters in front of me stood three guys, one of which was the guy who grabbed my arm before. They looked like they had been waiting there the whole time. My heart thudded in my throat, louder than the music and I glanced towards the bar where I though Logan was, but I couldn't see anyone familiar over the heads of the people jumping about. No one was paying us any attention.

My hands shook, both with the effort of holding onto Jubes as she kept slipping out of my grip, and from fear. I didn't know who they were, but they didn't look friendly, especially if my previous encounter was anything to go by.

"Why we stop?" Jubes frowned, her eyes were still closed and I saw tear marks along her skin.

"Jubes," I said loudly, into her ear so she could hear me over the music. "I need you to just sit here for a moment, okay?" I said, leaning her against the wall beside the toilet and she slid down to the ground.

"No!" she wailed, her eyes flying open. "Don't leave me," she clung to me, pulling me down as well.

"Hey," I gripped her face so her eyes looked at me, focusing on my eyes. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you okay."

"Okay," she said, still gripping my arm in a vice grip and I had to pry her fingers off me. When I stood up and spun around, they were right there, so close I could smell the alcohol on them and see the sweat on their foreheads and I let out a small gasp. The guy who had grabbed me before, the leader from what it looked like, had dull blue eyes that roved over my body, and I was glad for the unflattering thick leather jacket that was too big. My blood thrummed through my body, adrenaline pumping and I lifted my chin, staring at the men who were blocking my way. Even if Logan glanced over, he wouldn't see me, they were in the way.

"What kind of a guy ambushes a girl outside the ladies room?" I shouted in a cold voice, throwing them a withering look. I placed my hand on my hip in what I hoped was a confident looking action. The action of a girl who didn't stand for anything and could take care of herself, but in just my pyjamas and Logan's leather jacket, hair dishevelled from sleeping, I wasn't at all assured in it.

The leader grinned, his lips pulling off his teeth in a predatory sort of smirk and I didn't let myself react. One of them glanced down at Jubes, his eyes roaming over her vulnerable state and I took a step to the right, blocking his view of her. I'd be damned if I let some sleazy pervert look at her like that. An ugly, threatening scowl overtaking his pale features. I tensed, not moving, taking short, shallow breaths as I assessed some way to get Jubes to safety. Shouting was pointless in here, it was so loud. My ears stopped picking up on distinct noise, blurring together into an indecipherable background sound as I concentrated on the men in front of me.

The leader took a step forward, slamming me back into the wall, his body trapping in me, my head bouncing against the brick wall. I let out a small scream, before pulling myself together. If I hadn't moved to the side, I would have smashed into Jubes slumped form. The other two guys were reaching for Jubes and I panicked, trying to think through it. The leader of the men, pushed a leg between my thighs and I spat in his face, distracting him before pulling my knee up and crashing it into his groin. He let out a squeal of pain and moved back, enough for me to slip past him. I shoved one guy away from Jubes who had started to thrash away from the shouting for me. He was drunk enough that he stumbled back at least a meter, and I slapped the other guys hands away from Jubes.

"Get away from her!" I shouted, standing defensively in front of her. Jubes wrapped her arms around my legs and I freaked out because she was making it difficult to protect her.

"Bitch," the leader straightened back up, snarling at me, and he slapped me across the face. I fell back, landing on Jubes who made an oomf sound, the slap stinging my face and resonating in my head. I shot back up, panting, and holding my hands up in a defensive gesture. My knees bent, ready to move and dart around them if I needed to, my thigh muscles tensing to keep my still until I had to move and spring into action. The three men laughed and the sound crawled along my skin. Jubes seemed to sense that it wouldn't be helpful if she held onto me again, and just remain still, staring up with petrified wide eyes. I didn't think she understood what was going on, but knew it was serious.

Just as the leader lunged forward and I prepared for the hit, not fast enough to move out the way, a large, strong form suddenly appeared in front of me and I let out a strangled sigh of relief, "Logan."

"Fuck off, if you know what's good for you," Logan growls and his back is so close to me, I see the muscles of his back, under his shirt, tense, his shoulders bulking up more. Thank god. One guy would have been hard to deal with, let alone three. Only at that point did using my powers occur to me and I felt stupid for not thinking of it earlier.

"Find your own girl," I assumed it was the leader speaking, as he was the one who seemed to take the interest in me and not Jubes. Now that I thought about it, he hadn't even looked at Jubes, not bothered with her at all. I shivered at the thought, glad that he hadn't taken an interest in her. If he had and I hadn't been there, I didn't even want to think about what could have happened. My stomach roiled as I thought of his shoving his leg between my thighs.

"She is mine." Logan growled, I could imagine the black look that twisted his face, making him more menacing and scary, and despite the circumstances, a thrill went through me at his words. He crossed his arms, my protector, defender, and felt one hundred times safer. There was no way they could get to me or Jubes with him standing there.

"Don't like to share?" the leader leered, trying to look around to Logan's left. Logan angled his body slightly that way so he couldn't see us.

"Not at all," Logan snarled, taking a tiny threatening step towards them. I assumed they backed up. I would have, if I was in their position.

"Fine. Have fun with her," the leader laughed, though it wasn't from amusement. A moment passed before Logan turned to us.

"Are you okay?" his voice gruff.

"Yeah," I breathed, turning and helping Jubes up, her legs wobbly and pulled her with me. She moaned, eyes closed again, body shaking and my worry returned.

"Good. What the hell were you thinking?" Logan snapped at me, following close behind as I pushed my way through the crowd. I saw Rogue, John, Kurt, Remy and Colossus slumped by the bar, the other guys were gone. Rogue downed a shot before Logan could stop her. They looked terrible; drunk and beat up.

I glared at Logan, speaking heatedly, "I was thinking that I'd be dead before one of those sleazes layed a finger on Jubes, thank you very much. What was I supposed to do, scream for help? Oh, yeah, someone would totally have heard it in her," I shouted sarcastically, my ears going red, my cheek still stinging.

"_I_ would have heard you," Logan barked.

"Well, sorry, but I didn't know that nor did I think of it," I pushed Jubes onto a bar seat, taking a break from hauling her weight.

"You could have been seriously hurt," Logan snapped.

"You think I don't know that?" I looked around and frowned. "Where's Kitty and Bobby?" I shouted.

"You didn't find them?" Logan rumbled next to my ear. I shook my head and looked around. I had no idea where to even start to look for them.

"Jubes?" I tapped her shoulder and she moaned. "Where's Kitty and Bobby?"

She didn't say anything and Logan sniffed, "There's more than just alcohol in her system." My eyes widened, and horror surged back through me but Logan shook his head, "She'll be alright," he huffed. I nodded, trusting his word and turned to Rogue and the others.

"Where's Kitty and Bobby?" Rogue shrugged and the others shook their heads. John giggled and I realised he was too out of it to know anything.

"They disappeared about an hour ago. They were making out, so no one was gunna interrupt them," Rogue deadpanned, trying to get another shot. She could hold her liquor.

"Great," I mutter. I turned to Logan, "Get them to the car; I'll search for Kitty and Bobby."

Logan raised an eyebrow and looked at me disbelievingly, "What, you want a replay of what happened a minute ago?"

"No, but we need to find them, and they need to get out of here before they start something again," I motioned to the guys and Rogue. "Rogue seems to be spoiling for a fight." It was true; he eyes darted around the room, looking for someone to pick a fight with, daring others to start something with her. "I'll search for their minds," I said, quieter. In here, with so many people, it would be harder to track their mind imprints, but it would be easier than Logan sniffing them out. There was just too many people for him to do that.

Logan's jaw clenched, "I can't just leave you unprotected."

I rolled my eyes, "Get them out to the car, lock them in it, take the keys with you, then come back and find me. If you can't find me, shout my name in your head and I'll hear it. I'll tell you where I am, okay?"

He nodded, but didn't look particularly happy about it. I sat on a stool as Logan attempted to move them out of the club, dragging an angry Rogue behind him. I closed my eyes and searched for Kitty's mental voice, which was louder than Bobby's. I really hoped they weren't doing anything. I searched further and further outwards, searching. Opening myself to people's thoughts meant I could hear them all at once, and I had to sort through them, searching for a particular voice.

_Bobby! _It was definitely a moan, and not a moan of someone in pain. There. I heard it, towards the back, past the toilets and down a corridor so I got up, walking in that direction, hating myself for having to break them up. Kitty was going to be angry for sure. The corridor was packed with couples making out and pushed past them, searching for brown curly hair and a bright red shirt.

_THEA!_ Logan's mental voice was similar to his physical voice; gruff and rough.

_At the back, past the toilets, in the corridor. They're here somewhere. _I thought at him, sending him a mental picture of the bodies pressed together down the corridor. I kept walking, searching each couple for a familiar face. A second later, I felt Logan's presence behind me as he followed me down the corridor, squeezing between couples who were going at it.

I spotted a flash of red and moved towards it, recognising them immediately. Bobby had not shirt on, and he had Kitty pressed against the wall, kissing her neck, her legs wrapped around his waist. Kitty's mouth was open in a moan of ecstasy. I turned away, blushing, not able to interrupt them.

Logan had no such inhibitions, and yanked them apart. Kitty looked up in surprise and Bobby looked angry. He pushed at Logan, throwing a punch, and Logan shoved him back down the corridor, in the direction we came down. From the look on his face, Bobby was pissed off and he stalked down the corridor. And then Kitty blinked, realised what had happened and went ballistic. She screamed at Logan, hitting his chest, too drunk to know what she was really doing but angry enough to not care. I couldn't hear what she was saying. Logan grabbed her arms and pushed her in my direction and then I noticed the tears in her eyes. She was upset, confused, and angry. She spotted me standing there, then lunged at me in a hug, I grabbed onto her, to stop her from stumbling and she hung on to me. I was surprised, I'd been expecting her to be angry at me, but she just held on to me as I led her back down the corridor. Her makeup was smeared on her face and her curls were deflated. Her face was leaning against my chest and I looked down at her, pushing her hair of her face and wiping at her eyes as she stumbled over someone's legs. She clung to me and I looked back to make sure Logan was still following. He was frowning at us, his lips in a tight line. He looked tired and I felt bad for dragging him in to this and ruining his night.

We stumbled out of the club, kitty still clinging to me and we walked over to the minivan. It was a lot colder out here and the sweat on my body dried up instantly. I shivered and goose bumps raised on my skin. There were goose bumps on Kitty's uncovered arms and I rubbed at them, trying to warm her. Logan unlocked it and Bobby got in, having to get in the back as the others had sat towards the front. I pushed Kitty up and she followed. I closed the door and got in the front.

When Logan started the car, he blasted the heater, though he didn't look cold, and it warmed up straight away. It wasn't a cold night, but it was cold compared to the club. Once it was significantly warmer, he turned it off. The car was silent for a whole five minutes and I felt a weight fall off my chest. They were okay. Drunk, confused and beat up, but they were okay. Thank God. I breathed properly now.

And then John piped up from the seat behind me, "Why is my girl wearing your jacket?" he asked, jabbing a finger at Logan.

I sighed, exasperated, "John, I'm not your girl."

"Yes you are," he said stubbornly.

"No she's not," Kurt said from behind John.

"Shut up, Blue!" John yelled at him, turning in his seat. "She's not yours either, so there!"

"What you all talkin' about?" Jubes groaned from her seat beside Rogue, who sat next to John.

Rogue sighed, staring darkly out the window, "Kurt and John both like Thea and she has no clue and they've been fighting over her all night and I am sick of listening to it! They're like a bunch of girls!" Wow, Rogue was a moody drunk.

"Oh," Jubes laughed. "That's funny because she doesn't like either of them. She likes – "

"Jubes!" I shouted, shooting an alarmed glance at her.

"Who?" John said, looking around Rogue to prod Jubes. "Who does she like? I'll kill him."

Jubes burst into giggles, "You can't. He's bigger than you."

"Oh, my God," I muttered into my hands.

"Who is he?" John demanded at the same time Kurt asked, "Who?"

I glared at Jubes, "Don't you dare." She giggled again. John and Kurt started shouting again, but Jubes ignored them.

Then, at the back Kitty's voice rose above the rest, "Wolverine! She likes Wolverine! Now would you all shut up? My head hurts," she groaned. My eyes widened and I blushed, my face heating up so much I was surprised my skin wasn't melting.

"Wolverine," John muttered darkly, glaring at the back of Logan's head.

I turned to Logan, who sat as stiff as a board, eyes firmly plastered on the road in front of him, fists tightly curled around the steering wheel. "She's kidding. She's drunk; she doesn't know what she's saying."

He nodded curtly, but remained tense. "Seriously," I said, willing him to believe me. "She doesn't know what she's talking about." This time he did turn to me, staring at me with those black eyes and he relaxed a little, nodding like he believed me this time.

"Yes I do," Kitty piped up again and she would have ruined my first convincing lie in the history of ever, if she didn't suddenly burst into hysterical giggles. Quite obviously she was drunk and an unreliable source. "I want a monkey. Do you think the professor will let me have a monkey?"

"All of ya shut your goddamn mouths," Logan shouted, his voice rough with annoyance. He pulled into the school drive way, gravel crunching.

Quietly, like it only just dawned on him, John spoke up from behind me, "We are in so much fucking shit."

"Yep," I muttered, looking up at the building.

That pretty much summed it up.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what did you think?<strong>

**I'm on a roll with these chapters. I shouldn't have written it becasue I have an exam tomorrow and haven't studied for it yet. Instead, I was writing this. So, if I fail, you should all feel terrible. Kidding.**

**Anyway, this will definitely be the last chapter for hopefully no longer than two weeks. You guys have fun while I study away, working my poor finger to the bone as I write page after page of notes.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter. Thank you so much to LOTRlover and Heve-chan, who have reviewed twice in the last three chapters. :) You're just so kind *wipes away tear*. And of course thank you to my other reviewers; i've said it before and i'll say it again: You guys make my day!**


	11. Chapter 11

The aura of silent disappointment that surrounded the professor as he internally debated our fate cut deeper than any knife could. We sat there, in various states of inebriation, looking anywhere, at anything, rather than at the professor. I stared at my intertwined fingers resting in my lap, shoulders tense, waiting for the scolding. Actually, I would prefer he yell at us than have us sit here, swallowing and choking on the thick disappointment in the air.

Jubes was squished onto the same single-seat chair as me, whatever was in her system seemed to be slowly wearing off, but her head was heavy on my shoulder. Logan's presence was so strong behind me, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, that I had no idea how I didn't notice it immediately when I was in here last.

The Professor let out a long-suffering sigh, which, I vaguely mused, was probably exactly how he felt, continuously running a school for children and teenagers, some of whom he had to deal with all the time, like when they broke the rules he set up that were for their own good. Like now. "I'm very disappointed in all of you. What you did was wrong. We have rules for a reason. Besides that, none of you are old enough to go to a club yet."

Jeez, I felt crappy. Guilt and shame roiled in my gut. I wanted to apologise but I also didn't want it to seem fake, like I was only apologising to minimise punishment, or something, so I remained silent.

"It's late now, you all have classes in the morning still, but I will be calling you to see me throughout the day to discuss what the consequences of your actions will be. Just one last thing before you all go. You are seniors of this school and even in training to be X-Men and Women. You are supposed to set an example for the younger grades. They look up to all of you. Some of them even want to be like you. What kind of example does this set? What kind of role models are you when you sneak out and go to a club, get drunk, get in a fight and need someone to come and get you? Think about it. Now, go to bed." He said in a grave voice, a slight frown over his eyebrows. And I didn't think I could feel worse. I winced at his words. He was right, of course he was right.

I heaved Jubes up with me, not at all envying her. She was going to have a terrible day tomorrow. They all were. I herded Kitty, Rogue and Jubes up to our room, feeling ridiculously like a mother hen, watching to make sure they weren't going to fall or face-plant on the stairs. I got them in bed, Rogue putting up a bit of a fight, muttering that she wasn't tired even as her eyes seemed to seal shut. I placated her, eventually coaxing her to sleep before getting into bed myself. I stared at the ceiling for a while, sleep evading me. Logan's scent clung to my skin, driving me insane and making it impossible for me to relax. I tossed and turned for an hour. At four thirty in the morning, when my body still refused to sleep and with the sky turning a dark grey I sat up and walked to the window, opening it. It was dark still but with the promise of dawn not far off. I grabbed my sketch pad and the small case that held my sketching pencils.

Getting up on the ledge, I concentrated on the air, feeling it waiting for my command, and slowly stepped out. I hovered in the air and a breath of relief left my lungs. I'd never tried diving out like that. Once, I'd managed to float above the ground before I panicked and fell back down. I floated just outside the window the air feeling considerably more humid and warm than just a few hours ago, sticky against my skin as a storm brewed.

I carefully manipulated the air currents around my body, pushing me towards the woods, the trees and the potential of quiet and tranquillity. There was something so…peaceful about the woods that made me feel so at home, so relaxed.

Flying was amazing and not for the first time I understood how Professor Monroe and Professor Warren felt when they took to the sky almost every night. It was so free, so liberating to have no constraints, nothing pulling you down and keeping you grounded. At this time of the morning, the air felt cleaner, fresher and it was intoxicating, making me want to fly up higher and higher. That probably wasn't the best idea seeing as my ability to fly only came from my connection to the element air and the higher you go up, the less oxygen there is.

The woods were quiet and I went further, pass the trees that marked where I usually sat, further where the trees became denser. The smell of nature got stronger and I gently sat down on one of the thick branches of an oak tree. It was quiet. The tension from my shoulders slowly left and I leant against the back of the tree, the rough bark scratching at the exposed skin of my legs and shoulders as I waited for enough light to spill over the horizon to be able to see my sketch pad properly. I closed my eyes and felt more at peace. If I concentrated enough, I could feel the thrum of life, the pulsating energy of all the living creatures and vegetation of the woods, blurring into a thumping under my skin, soft enough with a sort of rhythm that almost made it a lullaby. The hard bark of the tree did what my mattress couldn't: make me comfortable enough to make me sleepy. My eyes slowly closed but I wouldn't let myself sleep in case I fell out of the tree.

It wasn't long before dawn encroached and I flipped to a blank page, choosing one of the lead pencils with a softer tone. My fingers itched to draw something, anything but they just hovered above the page as I stared at it. With some much life around me, it wasn't that I was lacking imagination or inspiration. It was that what I wanted to draw wasn't appropriate. In my mind's eye I could see the hard line strokes of his jaw, the gentle shading under his eyes, making him look tired, the creases around his eyes that made him look worn almost. It wasn't appropriate but I wanted to draw him.

Biting my lip, I flipped to a page at the back and set my fingers to work. They moved across the page almost like they had a mind of their own, adding a darker shade here, or another line there. The number of lines I added was limited though, as real life had no lines, only a gradual change in tone. Slowly, his face formed on my page. Wearing his jacket had really made his scent cling to me and every time I smelt it I could picture his face perfectly, the lines of his silhouette clear in my mind as he glared at the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel. Or maybe I wasn't actually smelling him, but a memory of his woodsy, male trace.

I lost myself in the sketch. It was one of the few things that could completely relax me. I loved sketching but I sucked at painting. No matter how hard I tried, the paint just wouldn't mix the way I wanted, the picture never turning out how I wanted it to. I switched to a darker pencil to do his eyes, using my fingers to smudge a bit here and there. My critical eyes swept over the picture, always finding something that wasn't quite right.

I was so absorbed in my sketch that I didn't feel the presence of someone jogging along the hardly-even-there path. You'd only see that path if you knew it was there in the first place.

"What are you doin'," a rough voice growled up at me.

I let out a small scream, jumping up, the sketch pad and pencils slipping from my fingers and falling out of the tree. My abrupt leap made me lose my footing and I fell off the branch. At the last second my fingers grasped the branch and I hung there, breathing heavily.

"Fuck," Logan growled out and I had to laugh, it came out breathless.

"You scared the _crap_ out of me," I said, attempting to loosen my fingers as they gripped the branch in a vice death grip. My heart hammered against my chest.

"Jesus, hang on, I'll get ya down, just hold on," his voice gruff and I heard bushes rustling as he attempted to get to the tree when all the undergrowth was in his way. I looked down, the shorter strands of my curly hair tumbling down my front as well.

"It's okay," I told him and he looked up. I grinned then let go. I hovered in the air before slowly floating down to the ground. My bare feet hit the soft, spongy grass.

He cleared his throat, "Oh." He looked slightly dazed and then he shook his head, "What are ya doin' out here?"

I glanced around, "Well, I was sketching before you gave me heart attack and cut ten years off my lifespan," I told him, spotting the pencils and sketchbook. I went to pick them up at the same time Logan did. He got to the sketchbook first.

"Sorry," he muttered. I froze, staring at the sketchbook which had fallen open to a page. He flipped it over and looked at it, his eyebrows rising in surprise. Please, for the love of God, don't let that be the drawing of him. Please, oh God, please. My cheeks flamed.

He flipped another page and I groaned, closing my eyes. "These…are amazin'," he said, his voice sounding gruff and uncomfortable, like he'd never given anyone praise before and didn't know if he was doing it right. My eyes snapped open and I managed to blush harder.

"They're nothing special," I muttered, holding out a hand for the book, hopefully before he flipped to his drawing. He handed it back and I picked up the pencils. "What are you doing out here so early?"

He shrugged, looking over my shoulder, "Couldn't sleep."

"Me either," I said distantly, looking at his eyes. The lines around his eyes had hardened and his shoulders were tense. He almost looked…haunted. It was vaguely familiar, his posture, the way he wouldn't meet my eyes. And then I realised. "Do you often have nightmares?" I asked, the words slipping out before I could think better of it.

His eyes flickered down to mine and momentary surprise graced his features. He said nothing and I looked at my feet, "Sorry. You don't have to tell me."

He said nothing and then I looked up a small 'oh' forming on my lips. I grabbed his muscular arm, dragging him behind me. After a silent moment of trudging along the barely-there path he shrugged his arm out of my grasp, "Where're we goin'?" he grumped at me.

"It's just up here," I said, walking along, my eyes searching for the familiar tree with the gnarled and twisted branches. When I spotted it I walked over, then past it, off the path. A few seconds of walking and we came to a small, miniscule clearing about I meter in diameter.

Flowering there were various growing flowers and plants and potted herbs. I searched for what I needed, picking some flowers and handing them to Logan, "This is lavender, it's supposed to help peaceful sleep to come and these are Morning Glory seeds which are supposed to stop nightmares and bring peace and happiness. Put them under your pillow when you go to sleep," I handed small samplings of the two plants before going back to search for the other plants that might be useful, but not before I caught his raised eyebrows. "This is vervain, put it near your bed, not under your pillow to prevent nightmares and these are anise seeds which you should put under your pillow as well. You never know, it might help," I shrug, getting up and brushing the dirt off my knees and hands, though now it was under my fingernails.

Logan crouched down, going to touch a flower with a gathered bunch of flowers at the top, but I stopped him, grabbing his arm, "Don't touch the bulbs, they contain oxalic acid."

"How do you know this stuff?" he asked and I looked away, biting my lip. I should have known he'd ask that, I should have been prepared for it, but like always I felt the squeezing in my gut.

"My brother," I said softly, still not looking at Logan.

"He has nightmares?" Logan asked, following behind me as I stepped over protruding roots, the moist dirt under my bare feet. I used to come here all the time when I first got here that I had the imaginary path memorised; I could find this place in the dark.

"He had. He died," I said, focusing on walking. My gut gave another painful squeeze.

"Hey," Logan grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face him. His black eyes looked straight into mine, not flinching or looking away, and I felt like they were holding me steady, grounding me when I just wanted to get away, to outrun the memory of my brother that twisted my heart. "I'm sorry," genuine sorrow coloured his tone and I suddenly felt like he really was sorry, like he wasn't just saying that. It made me want to tell him about my brother.

"His name is-was Daniel," I said, I could hear my voice waver and I cleared it, mentally scolding myself, telling myself to get a grip, to not break down and cry in front of Logan.

"I had no idea," he said, his voice gentle, but rough still, just like he was trying not to say something insensitive.

"I don't tell people often," I said, tucking my hair behind my ears.

"When did he…?" Logan began, then maybe thought better of it.

"Die? You can ask. Almost three years ago," I kept walking, slower now, but this time I wasn't avoiding Logan's gaze. "My mother was never really the motherly type. She didn't pay much attention to us. He had a gift too and it manifested in him really early; he could talk to animals. He used to talk to our neighbours cat. When mum found out she freaked and started ignoring him, avoiding him. Danny didn't understand, he was so young and his mother was punishing him for something he had no control over. That's where my relationship with my mother started going downhill. I watched over Danny all the time and when he started getting nightmares, I looked for ways to help him. He was only six and he got nightmares almost every night. I put those flowers under his pillow and it seemed to help; he didn't come in to wake me up every night, asking to sleep in my bed. So, I thought maybe they might help you too."

"Did you put them there?" he gestured in the direction of my plants.

I nodded, "When I first came here, I had trouble sleeping."

"How did he die?" Logan asked, quietly, so quiet that I almost didn't hear him. Maybe he was giving me the opportunity to ignore his question, pretend I didn't hear it if I didn't want to talk about it.

"It was my mother's fault. I hate her for that, for being so superficial and supercilious that she couldn't pay enough attention to her own son for longer than a minute. If she had just listened to him, saw him for who he was and not as a 'mutant'. But she can't and she didn't and it's her fault that Danny's not here. I _hate_ her," I breathed. "She was setting up for one of her parties; she was always throwing a party. I think she thought if she seemed sociable enough, caring enough, no one would find out about Danny. I went to a friend's house to study for our Spanish exam. God, all she had to do was watch him, check on him, but she couldn't even do that. He heard the ice cream truck going around, so he went outside and got hit by a car. He was so small and the car was so big. He died on the way to hospital. I blame her and she knows I do. We started fighting a lot and then not long after my power manifested."

"I'm sorry," Logan said again, because really, what else could he do? It's not like he could go back in time and stop the car, stop him from going outside. I didn't realise until then that my eyes were getting glassy. I swiped at them, annoyed at myself. "I didn't mean to make ya cry."

"It's not your fault. Beside," I sniffed. "It was going to happen. The anniversary of his death is in two weeks so I would probably be crying soon anyway."

We walked along in silence and his presence was comforting, he was solid and dependable. Danny's small face swam in my mind and I could the tightening in my stomach getting comfortable as it prepared to hang around for two weeks, like it usually did at this time of the year. After Danny's accident I had shut down to everyone around me, I refused to talk to anyone and my friends had slowly drifted away from me, not hanging around and supporting me, instead choosing to take the easy road out and leave me behind. I didn't resent them for that; we were only fourteen. Death was a lot to ask a fourteen year old to deal with. Every day I got up I felt empty and black. I'd remember that Danny and his toothy grin wasn't around anymore and I'd recede further inside myself, avoiding contact with everyone. Walls built up around me and I was so angry at my mother, if you could even call her that. Eventually, people stopped trying to talk to me.

It didn't help that my mother moved on faster and easier than me. She didn't even cry at his funeral and it made me hate her even more. Then, one day I woke up, another nightmare ruining a night's sleep. It was about Danny again and I lay in my bed for what seemed like forever, staring at my ceiling as tears slowly leaked out my eyes. But then, I slowly realised that there was no point in being angry all the time; it wouldn't bring him back. Danny hated it when I was angry. He only ever wanted to see people happy. When I was upset, her used to put his hand in mine and I'd feel a bit better. He wouldn't want me to be unhappy, to push people away. I went to school the next day resolving to be more open, to be less dark and angry and recluse. I tried talking to my old friends but it wasn't the same as before and they were uncomfortable around me. Half a month later, Jean and Scott turned up at my door.

The mansion loomed ahead and I headed for my window, Logan following behind me. I levitated myself up to my room and he watched, waiting until I got into my room safely before walking off. I closed the window and turned around in time to see the others stirring, waking up as the alarm beeped.

I went and had a shower, washing away my melancholy with it. My eyes looked less red when I came out and if they noticed, they didn't say anything. But that was probably because they looked like they'd been run over by a truck. A large one. Repeatedly. Their hair was no longer styled and their makeup was smeared all over their faces. Their eyes were red and bloodshot and deep purple bags were visible under their eyes, almost like they'd been punched. They were a mess. Kitty let out a low moan and pulled the covers back over her head and Rogue covered her eyes with her hands, groaning. Jubes, however was the funniest.

She squinted at me, "My head," she groaned, holding a hand against her forehead while letting out a wail. "Chica, chica, my head. Something's wrong with my head!" she panicked.

"Yeah, it's called a hangover," Rogue said, wincing at the sound of her own voice, low as it was.

Kitty groaned from under the covers, "Shut up! Oh, God, my head. Make the ringing stop."

A slow grin worked its way onto my lips. "Well, I feel fine," I said smugly. It wasn't entirely true, what with the ugly gnawing at my gut, but I wanted to rub it in. "A little tired from being woken up at two thirty in the morning," I said pointedly at Jubes, "to come and get your stupid asses, but otherwise I'm good to go."

"I hate you," Jubes said, ignoring the two-thirty comment.

"No you don't. Besides, I saved your ass. Or, Logan did. But I helped and I did a damn good job."

"You did?" she asked weakly, looking at me, or where she thought I was. I was a little more to the right than where she was looking. "Wolvie was there? Damn, I missed the good stuff! Did he get his claws out and shred some people up?" she cried, before wincing and covering her face with her hands.

"No," I said, laughing a little.

"Everybody be quiet. I just need…my head, it's… oh God," Kitty wailed from under the covers.

"If I ever meet the bastard that invented alcohol, I'll kill 'em," Rogue grunted. Then she rethought it, "No, I won't. But I'll hurt them a little."

"You guys need to get up. You still have to go to classes," I told them, looking around for my books.

"God, has the world always been this bright?" Kitty grimaced, her head peeking out from the top of her duvet.

"Believe it or not, today is overcast," I said, spotting my Ancient Rome textbook and shoving it into my book bag.

"No way," Kitty said.

"Mmmhmm," I nodded.

_Thea, I'd like to see you before classes, if you wouldn't mind._ The professor's voice floated into my head and I couldn't help but wince. Even when angry he could be polite. It made me feel worse.

_Okay._

"You know, once you get used to the ringing and the light and the dizziness, it's not so bad" Rogue groaned, slowing working herself into a upright seated position before groaning and flopping back down. "I lied."

"Get up, shower, eat some breakfast if you can stomach it and get to class," I said, walking for the door. "The professor wants to see me."

Three simultaneous groans followed me out the door.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what did you think? Like or hate the new development in Thea's past?<strong>

**You will be pleased to know that I did not fail my exam. I know, you guys were _so_ worried, but worry no more, because I passed with flying colours. Or, at least, with black ink because my blue pen ran out.**

**Anyway, I have attempted to reply to everyone's reviews. You are all so sweet and your words are so kind! THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! However, if I have missed anyone, I will not be offended if you send me an abusive PM. I promise. I'd deserve it.**

**LOTRlover, is that your real pen name? Because I want to reply to your lovely reviews, but I don't want to send it to the wrong person.**


	12. Chapter 12

I tentatively raised my hand to knock on the Professor's door but before I could his voice drifted over to me, "Come in Thea."

I swallowed and tried to figure out his tone as I twisted the doorknob. When I walked into his immaculately clean office, he gestured at the seats in front of his desk and I perched on the edge of one. For a moment he didn't say anything.

Then, "I'm disappointed in you Thea." His words were sharper then knives and cut deeper than one too. I tensed and my jaw locked. I'd think I was used to people being disappointed in me by now. Disappointment I should have been able to handle, I'd had my fair share of it directed at me; disappointment from my mum for being a freak, disappointment from my old teachers when my brother died and I stopped caring about schoolwork, disappointment from my friends when I stopped hanging out with them. I was just a big disappointment to all of them. But then I came here. And the disappointment didn't follow me. Until now.

"I'm sorry," I whispered hoarsely.

"Please let me finish. I'm disappointed that you didn't alert someone to your friend's behaviour and I'm disappointed that you also didn't stop them from going. You are a mature, intelligent girl and you have a responsibility to be a good role model for the younger grades, not only in school work but in how you conduct yourself. At almost eleven o'clock last night, when your friends left the school grounds, considering the outcome of events, it would have been better if you had notified someone." He let the words sink in and I winced. Guilt lashed at my insides, threatening to rise up to my eyes and transform into tears. But I wouldn't cry. It was silly to cry. Christ, I could be a wimp.

"You, and your friends are not of legal age to be consuming alcohol; it was reckless and rash, though I understand you yourself didn't consume any." He let out a sigh that reeked of disappointment and I nearly cringed. "These gates were built for your own protection; they weren't just designed to aid me in keeping a group of talented young people in, and they weren't designed to keep you locked away from the world. Once you go past those gates, my ability to protect you diminishes, and I had hoped, as some of the oldest students at this school, with firsthand knowledge of how society may react to children with your abilities, that you'd have a bit more respect for it. Please bear that in mind when you decide to come up with another plan that would have you exit those gates."

"Professor…I-it's not that I… I'm sorry," I sighed, defeated. I didn't know how to explain what I meant, especially when I couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

"But I'm also proud of you," the professor continued, glazing over my poor apology.

My head snapped up, mouth hanging open as I looked at him with an expression of confusion and incredulity, "What?" He couldn't be serious.

"When you learned of your friends actions, you reacted in a mature manner. You sought help from a more experienced teacher. According to Logan, your actions therein were a mixture of bravery, stupidity and protectiveness, though I'm certain, when considering the speaker, it was meant as praise. You handled the situation better than most," he inclined his head towards me, a slight smile on his lips. I'm pretty sure I was still looking at him in disbelief.

"But one can not rule out the other; both must be considered in your punishment." I nodded, waiting. "Your punishment will not be a severe as your friends. For one month you will help Lacey in the horse stables; you will do as she asks for the care of the horses. I am also assigning you patrol duty; you are to patrol the corridors after lights out, like the teachers do, every Tuesday night. You will need to report to Scott before you start. And during this time you will be confined to the school grounds; no outings or shopping days. I hope this will give you ample opportunity to consider all that has happened. Please be at the stables this afternoon."

Great. Just great. On top of my training with Logan, my extra classes, and thus, extra assignments and my upcoming traineeship with Jean, I now get to waste what precious time I had left working for one of the meanest girls at this school, and walking along the hallways. Well, I guess it was supposed to be punishment. We're not supposed to like it. And I would be getting to see the horses again. It had to have been at least three weeks since I'd seen Nyx, my favourite horse. And that was because of Lacey. I liked seeing Nyx, but sometimes it wasn't worth the trouble getting around Lacey. It wasn't worth the glares, even though I had no idea what I did to make her despise me so much, and it wasn't worth knowing that she was whispering about me to her friend Claire.

"Professor? Every second afternoon I have training sessions with Lo – I mean, Professor Logan," I told him. Honestly, I'd take putting my body through a beating as Logan told me to do another thirty push ups, over spending any time with Lacey. Heck, I'd run the ridiculously long circuit he was undoubtedly planning for me with a smile on my face.

He pressed the tips of his fingers together in a speculative gesture as he considered this, "After your training sessions, you will have to go to the stables, then."

I nodded, internally sighing before remembering he was a telepath.

I began organising in my head. Today was Tuesday, which meant patrol would be tonight, training with Logan would be when school finished, and working in the stables would be after that. Depending on how long Lacey planned on keeping me there for, I'd have to finish up my art assignment before patrol. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to finish my math homework during lunch, but if not, I'll have to complete it after my art assignment. I may have to go to the library for that; I rarely get a lot of work done when I'm around Jubes, Rogue and Kitty. Any other homework I'd have t get done after math, and probably after patrol. And, study for my Spanish exam would probably have to be after patrol as well. Oh, yay. I just can't wait (note the sarcasm).

But, I did feel much better now that I had a plan.

Then I realised, "Professor, how did you know what time they left?"

He smiled at me conspiratorially, "You think I wouldn't know when a group of teenagers under my care climbed over the gate?" I wondered then if there was anything he _didn't_ know.

"Why didn't you stop them, then?"

"Because, in the long term, it would have created more problems. Besides, I encourage learning by experience, and now they will know the consequences of their foolish actions. Perhaps, I should have sent one of the teachers after them, but then they would have attempted it again, no doubt." Yes, there was no doubt in my mind that if they had been busted, they would have tried to break out again. I wondered if I would have too.

"You may go," he nodded. "And send John in, would you/"

"Yes, Professor," I said, getting up and walking out.

John was leaning against the wall, eyes shut, a hand pressing down on his forehead. He looked like crap. There were dark purple marks under his eyes, one eye looked to be slightly swollen, and his lip was all busted up. "John?"

He groaned, "Not so loud," he whispered. I had to stop from laughing.

"You probably shouldn't have had so much to drink. Or started a fight," I added loftily, not bothering to admonish him as he was surely about to be reprimanded by the Professor.

He groaned again, "I didn't start it." I found that hard to believe – John was the one with a fiery temper. It probably had something to do with his ability. "Or maybe I did. I don't remember anything after arriving at the club."

"Well, anyway, the Professor is ready to see you now," I told him.

"Yeah, okay," he sighed defeated, before perking back up again. "Want to hang out later?"

I froze mid-step from walking down the hallway, "I can't." it was an automated reaction, to dissuade his advance, and his face fell. Then again, he could just be asking as a friend. I relented, and explained, "For the next month I'll be surprised if I even have time for sleeping."

He nodded disappointedly. I hurried on down the corridor, making it to the cafeteria just in time to grab a piece of toast before the bell went that signalled classes were starting. I hurried to my Ancient History classroom and sat down. One of the last to arrive was Kurt, looking worse for wear. Unsurprisingly, he looked the same as the others; terrible. In fact, he was looking at the corner of the room a little longingly, like he just wanted to curl up there and not move.

Storm breezed into the room, rolling up the blinds on the windows. Kurt groaned and I could have sworn I saw Storm smile at that. She turned to the board and began to write dot points as she talked, "If you remember last lesson, I said we'd make a start on Julius Caesar today. Now, you should keep in mind that politics and military issues were very closely linked. In this, it can be said then that a lot of success Caesar had in politics was based on the prestige he gained from his various military roles. But, before we look at his political success, we're going to look at his military achievements…"

The rest of the day passed in the same way. The teachers talked about their subject, I wrote notes. When I was in a class I shared with a friend, I also had to ignore their groans every now and then. It would have been amusing if it wasn't so annoying. After Ancient history, I had Modern History with Professor Warren, then Calculus with Professor Sommers, then lunch. As I thought, I got homework from calculus and, much to my irritation, I didn't finish it all during lunch. I also got homework from both history classes, as well as my chemistry class, taught by Professor McCoy. Thankfully, he didn't give me any for physics, and Professor Grey gave me none for English.

When classes finished, I hurried down to the library, found a empty study table and finished off my calculus homework in the half and hour I had before four o'clock, and thus, my training session I had with Logan.

I dropped my stuff off at my room and changed into shorts and a singlet. I grabbed Logan's jacket and flannel shirt to give back to him on my way out. When I got to the gym down next to the Danger Room, Logan was already there.

"Here," I said, handing his clothing back. He took it with a grunt and flung it to the other side of the room.

"Stretch," he ordered, and I complied.

He said nothing in the next few minutes as we stretched. Then, "I'm going to teach you how to fight in these lessons. I forgot to mention that the Danger Room session on Saturday mornings is when the whole team trains together. For now, you'll just watch."

I opened my mouth to protest, to say that I could practise using my powers with the team in that time, but he cut me off, "No arguments."

"Fine," I grumbled.

"Like I said before," he continued, as if he hadn't heard me, "the best thing for you to do is run away. You're small, with limited muscle mass and no combat experience. You wouldn't win in a fight, especially when your opponent will be bigger and stronger than you."

"But-"

"_But_," he continued, again ignoring. I rolled my eyes, before remembering he was a teacher and hoping he didn't see. "Being small has its advantages, and when you learn to fight properly, the fact that you're small will mean less."

He then proceeded to show me how to punch properly, and how to block incoming attacks. His large hands were warm on mine as he folded my fingers into a fist, wrapping my thumb around them so I don't break it. His fingers grazed over my knuckles as he explained what part I'd use to hit someone with maximum impact but with minimum damage to myself. I swallowed, trying to ignore his scent that surrounded me and concentrate on what he was saying. But it was hard to.

The whole time, he invaded my personal space, standing much to close for comfort as he manoeuvred me into positions that would block an attack, pointing out what muscles I'd be using, and how to strengthen them. Being small meant I had to use their height, weight and strength against them. My elbows and knees were easier to use because of my size. Then, at a slower pace, Logan would pretend to attack me and I'd have to use on of the blocking mechanisms he'd just taught me.

More than once I got flustered. At those moments, I expected him to yell at me for not paying attention, but he just showed me the block again patiently, going through it with me, my face red in embarrassment and exertion. Sometimes when I got flustered, I'd completely forget what I was doing, and I'd take a step back, out of the way instead of holding my ground. I'm pretty sure when I did that Logan had to try not to laugh, though he gave nothing away through his stony mask.

And then Logan told me to try and hit him.

"No," I said adamantly and he rolled his eyes. "No way."

"Ya won't hurt me," he informed me and I was irrationally annoyed. I didn't want to hurt him but I was annoyed that he thought I couldn't.

"Still," I insisted, "I can't hit you." I said, like the idea was crazy and that he should have someone evaluate his mental health for even suggesting it.

"Thea," he growled at me, "you have to try."

"No I don't," I said petulantly.

"Yes you do, kid," he replied.

"I'm not a kid; I'm almost eighteen for Christ sakes, and no, I don't," I replied.

'Thea!" he barked at me.

"Fine!" I sighed. And then I threw a punch. Even I had to admit it was only half-hearted, so much so that he grabbed my fist in his hand and threw me an annoyed look.

"That was pathetic," he deadpanned.

I pursed my lips before lunging at him. He wasn't expecting it, so I got past his defences and was just about to land a punch to his jaw when he blocked, the force of which sent me reeling backwards slightly. And then we were mock fighting; I lunged at him again, going on the offence as he blocked and moved out the way, barely even having to lift his hands to deflect my blows. Growing frustrated, I jumped at him, completely forgetting everything he just taught me about keeping a guard up, and swinging both my arms at him. With amazing speed and grace, he captured my flailing arms with his own and spun me around. Before I even realised what just happened, I was braced against Logan's chest, his hands gripping my arms which were crossed over my chest from how he spun in a bizarre bear hug. I tried to break out of his grip, but fighting his strength with just my own was useless. We were panting and I felt his chest rise with each intake of breath from behind me, my back pressed firmly to him.

I slackened my grip, relaxing, giving up and just as he was about to let me go, signalling we were done, I decided to try one more time. I completely dropped my weight so I wasn't standing on my legs anymore, only hanging by my arms. I spun, undoing the cross Logan had made of my arms so that we were facing each other. I could read the surprise in his face; he wasn't expecting me to do that. I felt a triumphant smile lift my lips at him. We were chest to chest and I brought a leg up to knee him in the stomach. Just as I thought he would, he let go of one of my wrists to bring his arm down to block my knee. I wrangled my other wrist from his clutch and brought it up towards his face. I was just about to hit him square in the jaw when he dodged, tackling me to the ground. My breath fled my lungs and his hands pinned my wrists out from my sides, using his weight to hold me down. I attempted to break out of his grip but it was pointless. I would have used my power to fling him back, but he'd told me at the beginning that I'm not allowed to use them during these lessons, as they were solely about physical fights. I rolled my eyes at him and he smirked. And then I realised he was really rather…close.

He had me pinned down with his knees on either side of my thighs, his torso pressing against mine, his body close enough that I could feel the heat from him coming at me in waves. His face was only a couple inches from mine, and it was all I could see as his face blocked out everything above him, our breaths mingling from the proximity as we panted from effort. That delicious, woodsy scent surrounded me, this time mixed with sweat, torturing me almost, as I noted the thin sheen on his arms, which were pinning mine down. His fingers were warm on my skin and suddenly I found it very difficult to breathe properly. And it had nothing to do with our practise fight, or the fact that he was kind of crushing my lungs. My eyes were locked on his as neither of us moved, and I found I'd never wanted to use my power to know someone's thoughts more than I wanted to know Logan's right now. I bit my lip worriedly, and his eyes dropped down to them movement, watching them, and I couldn't help it; my tongue darted out as I licked them nervously.

Then he was off me so fast I'm pretty sure I was experiencing whiplash. He cleared his throat as I just lay there, looking up at the ceiling, before getting up. I brushed myself off, thankful for the mat we had been using, otherwise the landing would probably have hurt much more. I looked over and saw he was watching me. I froze.

Then I smirked at him, "I almost had you." Then, realising I wasn't being very clear, I added on, "I almost landed a punch on you. Twice."

"But you didn't. Don't get cocky," he taunted, smirking as my smirk dropped.

I sighed, "What did I do wrong? I caught you by surprise and everything!"

"Nothing. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why aren't you unconscious right now?" I asked, frustrated. I didn't expect to land a good punch on him, but I had hoped to at least land _something_.

"You've been doing this for an hour. I've been doing this for years," he said by way of explanation.

"Can we try it again?" I tried, hoping that maybe this time my knuckles might at least _graze_ him.

"We're out of time," he muttered gruffly, walking over to grab a towel of a rack to wipe his face with. "Warm down, or you'll be hurtin' tomorrow." And with that he left the room. I watched him walk out, frowning at his gruffer than usual dismissal, but nevertheless doing as he asked.

I made it to the stables at about quarter past five, and to the welcoming glare from Lacey. She was standing there, in worn, though expensive looking riding gear, and she was holding a clipboard in her hands.

"Um – " I began, only to have her cut me off.

"I already know," she said, thrusting the clipboard into my hands. "And I don't like it any more than you do. But don't worry; I've come up with a schedule that means we will see each other a little as possible. That paper has everything you need to do each night and at what time. All you have to do is follow it, even you should be able to manage that," she informed me rudely, turning around and walking over to a small desk in the corner. It was hard to believe this girl, who didn't appear to have any sort of caring or nurturing bone in her body, had some sort of special gift with horses.

I looked down at the clipboard, which to my annoyance was adequately organised. The horses had to be run once a day, groomed and fed. There were only four horses; Nyx, Lady, Venus and Ace. Sometimes people would ride them after school, but more often than not, Lacey would have to do that. According to the sheet, Nyx and Ace were in my care, and Lady and Venus were in Lacey's, not that it bothered me; they were my favourites anyway. Lacey probably didn't know that otherwise she would have given me Lady and Venus, I'm sure. I began reading what she'd written there, obviously avoiding actually telling me in person.

_I'll post on the bulletin board each afternoon whether or not students have ridden any of the horses. You need to feed them every morning before school and every afternoon after school. After riding, their tack will need to be cleaned, and the horses will need to be groomed. Also, you'll need to clean out their stalls each morning and in case you didn't catch on, that means you need to clean up their poo. If you look through the papers I've given you, you'll find information on these things. Don't stuff this up._

I rolled my eyes, checked the bulletin board and found that Ace, Lady and Venus had been ridden today, so I set to taking Nyx for a run then. Students were only allowed to ride the horses if they knew how to, and if not, they were allowed to ask for lessons from Lacey. As I walked into her stall she moved closer towards me. I reached out a hand which she moved her face into. I stroked along her nose and she snorted softly, shuffling back as I walked around her, avoiding walking behind her. Once she was all saddled up, I led her by the reins out of her stall, ignoring the whispering of Claire and Lacey as I left. Not for the first time I wondered what I'd done to make them dislike me so much.

Once outside, I pulled myself onto Nyx, clicking my tongue and bringing in my heels. Her hooves crunched along the gravel drive way before we made it into the riding path that led through the woods. There was something very settling about riding Nyx, so much so that my mind began to wander. I needed to have my full concentration on Nyx, but I couldn't stop my mind from snapping back to Logan and how close he'd been in the gym, how he'd smelled, how I wouldn't have minded _at all_ if he'd dipped his head a little lower and –

_Slap!_

A low-hanging branch smacked me in the face, the twiggy ends scratching at my cheeks. It was an unwelcome end to my thoughts, but it brought me back to reality, to the fact that there was a very powerful animal under me, and if I didn't maintain control of the horse, we both could get hurt.

Then I realised it. Really, actually realised it. And I couldn't believe I didn't think about it sooner. How could it only just have occurred to me?

I was crushing on my teacher. My older teacher.

Like my life really needed more complications.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I just seemed to keep coming to a blank wall, not just for this story, but all of them, and when I did finally write something, I didn't like it and found it wasn't going in the right direction. I'm so sorry. I'm planning for the next chapter to be up within the next three days. Again, I'm so sorry!<strong>

**Thank you so so much to those who reviewed! (And favourited and followed)! Seeing those made me make myself sit down and continue to try, even when it wasn't working.**


	13. Chapter 13

When Nyx and I got back to the stables, Claire and Lacey were still talking.

I set to grooming Nyx, beginning with her hooves. I slid my hand down her left foreleg, squeezing the back of the leg along where the tendons were, commanding, "Up." I searched the hoof, prying out any dirt and manure lodged there with the hoof pick, and checking for any injuries or cracks before placing the foot back down on the ground and moving to the next leg.

Nyx nickered softly as I brought the curry comb down over her hair, loosening the dirt in her coat. I curried in circular sweeps, taking care with the bony, more sensitive areas.

"Where did you learn to look after horses?" Lacey asked. From her tone, I detected no genuineness or even much interest in her question, only grudging acceptance. Like she was only just beginning to accept that I'd be around more often.

"My grandmother," I said. I elaborated no further and she turned, miffed.

My father's mother had had a horse when I was younger. I used to visit her often and she'd teach me how to look after them and ride them, instructing that there was more to caring for them than just riding them, which really was all I wanted to do. When she died, dad had sold her horse, Strawberry, even though I begged him not to. Our house was in the middle of a suburban area and was not suitable for a horse. Apparently, it also wasn't suitable for my dad, because he left not long after. Strawberry had been sensitive about having her belly and between her back legs brushed, but I'd quickly discovered that Nyx loved it. However, she didn't particularly like when I had to untangle her mane and tail. Moving onto the body brush, I removed any dirt the curry comb had missed. Then with the finishing brush, I managed to bring out the shininess of Nyx's black coat, admiring how glossy it looked. And finally, with a damp sponge, I wiped around Nyx's eyes and muzzle, cleaning away any dirt, as well as around the dock and tail head, and checking the ears. It was a long process, but it always seemed to go quicker when I spoke to her.

So far, what I'd discovered about horses was that they were very smart. Nyx in particular seemed to almost understand what I was saying when I spoke to her. I chatted quietly to her, telling her about everything that had happened during the time I'd been away. Almost seeming to remember that it had been a long time since I'd visited her, her ears flattened accusingly and I apologised.

I quickly cleaned up the tack, groomed Ace, feed them, and then bid them farewell until tomorrow morning in which I'd return for the fun job of scooping up their poo. Honestly, I couldn't wait.

By the time I made it back to my room, I was exhausted and I knew I smelt bad. Kitty, Rogue and Jubes appeared to be passed out on their beds, but they stirred slightly when I closed the door with a soft click behind me.

"Huh?" Jubes asked, pulling the covers back over her head and blinking at me like she couldn't really see me. "Oh chica, it's just you. Let me tell you, today has been horrible!"

"What punishments did you get?" I asked, picking up clean clothes and heading in the direction of the bathroom for a quick shower, just to wash the muck and sweat off me.

"I'm grounded! Me! I've never been grounded in my whole life!" she said, looking for all the world like it was a foreign concept, or that she was seriously considering this to be a set up and she had better start looking for the hidden cameras. "And do you know what I have to do?! _Do you know what I have to do_?" she asked, working herself up so that now both Rogue and Kitty were awake. "I have to help in the kitchens every morning! Every morning! To serve breakfast. Do you know what time I have to wake up at? Of course not," she answered over me, "Because I'd never even heard of that god awful hour until today! Five o'clock! In the morning, chica," she whined.

"Well," I attempted to sooth her, before rethinking it. "It's punishment; you're not supposed to like it." I told her bluntly. She just groaned.

"Do you know what I have to do?" Rogue asked, looking seriously put out. "Babysit! I don't even like kids that much and the professor has me watching those little beings every afternoon until six when I'm then supposed to take them to dinner and then to their rooms!"

"And lucky me, I get to spend every second afternoon helping to clean this place! I mean, it's massive, and there's carpet everywhere! It's going to take me forever to vacuum it all!" Kitty added her punishment to the list of 'things that sucked about today'.

"Huh," I deliberated, "Well, I have patrol work every Tuesday night and I get to help Lacey in the stable. Tomorrow morning I'm looking at a big pile of poop."

"Oh, man, Xavier went easy on you!" Rogue sighed and I grinned.

"Yep. Not only do I like working with horses, cleaning up their poo won't be so bad because it means I'll get to start on that muscle strengthening stuff Logan kept going on about yesterday."

"How was that, by the way?" Rogue asked.

"Fine," I said quickly, before realising it was a little too quick. Jubes shot straight up in her bed, pinning me with a wide eyed stare.

"Liar," she said, her face morphing into a smug grin, like she caught me out. Which, technically she did.

"What?" I asked, looking at her like the idea was absurd but I couldn't fight the grin off my face or my irrational short burst of breathless laughter.

"I love that you're a terrible liar," Jubes grinned. "It makes things so much more interesting. So, obviously something happened, so spill," she demanded and I rolled my eyes.

"How do you know my lie wasn't just that the session went horribly?" I asked.

Jubes just shook her head disappointedly at me, like my pathetic attempt at avoiding talking about that session with Logan was a waste of time and energy. "What do you take me for? An amateur?"

"Well, I have to go have a shower, and then I'm heading over to the library; unlike some I take my studies just a smidge more seriously," I said, holding up my thumb and forefinger about a centimetre away from each other.

"Don't do that! Don't avoid us!" Jubes cried. "If you do, I'll…I'll bring it up with Logan."

My head whipped around and I glared at her, "You wouldn't!"

"I would," she challenged dangerously.

"Come on Jubes," I cajoled, "Nothing serious happened." I said, which was technically the truth. Maybe I should test out this not telling the whole truth thing. I seemed to be good at it.

She narrowed her eyes at me, almost in threat, as she looked me over, trying to gauge me. "Do you like him?"

"He's my teacher!" I said incredulously, avoiding a direct answer. "My _older_ teacher!"

"That doesn't mean much," Jubes started and I turned to Rogue and Kitty before she could continue.

"Are you guys going to help me out, or what?" I asked, annoyed.

Kitty groaned and rolled over, pulling a pillow over her head, "I can't deal with this right now."

"Yeah, well, when you can deal with it, I have a bone to pick with you," I said heatedly, remembering her little share-all session in the ride back from the club.

"Great!" she said unenthusiastically, "Get in line."

"Uh, excuse me," Jubes said, waving her hands in front of me. "Talking still," she pointed at herself.

"Jubes is right, you know," Rogue said and I threw her a scathing glare too. She held her hands up in the universal i-mean-no-harm gesture, "About it not meaning much, the fact that he's older. You don't like any of the guys here, and I think that's because they're just boys; you tend to like older guys, probably because of their maturity and experience," she pointed out, a voice of reason, who provided a logical standing to Jubes' rambling. If she could just focus that logical side of her brain into something like, oh, I don't know, her math homework she'd be getting much better grades.

"What are you, my therapist?" I snapped at her.

"I'm just pointing out that your excuse for not liking him being that he's older is a pathetic one," she shrugged, apparently immune to my glaring.

"Fine, he's my teacher then." Jubes rolled her eyes at me and I opened my mouth to try again, "Jubes – "

"So really, what happened?" she cut me off. "Did you kiss him?"

"No."

"Did you have sex?"

I'm pretty sure she's crazy. Definitely. But the real question was how to get her to an insane asylum without her realising my plan. I could always just knock her out with my power. "Yeah, because I jumped his bones in the gym," I said sarcastically. "What the hell, you bloody headcase? I just said I didn't kiss him! How'd you make the leap from kissing to having sex?"

"It's the next logical step," she said. I just stared at her. "Come on, Logan is a feral," she started to explain slowly, like she was telling a five year old that if you have four apples, and you take two away, you only have two apples left. Her condescending tone made me indignant. "Do you really think that he'd stop at kissing? No, he wouldn't be stopping for a while."

"And, technically, you don't have to kiss him to have sex with him," Rogue cut in.

I rolled my eyes, "_No_. That's absurd."

"Then what happened to make you get all defensive?" Jubes sighed, exasperated. Honestly, she was exasperated at me? Shouldn't that be the other way around?

I sighed, "That's what I've been trying to tell you; nothing. Nothing happened!"

"Fine!" Jubes shouted at me. "Lie to your best friends!"

"Jubes!" I shouted at her, "That's not fair!"

She watched me a moment before nodding, satisfied, like this whole conversation had been concocted to test me. I wondered what she found out. "Okay. This conversation isn't over, by the way, I just have to figure out a different angle to play, and you need to get going if you're going to 'study seriously'," she said, using her fingers as quotation marks. "Have fun, chica."

Just as I stepped into the bathroom I heard her tell Rogue, "I have some experimenting to do." Is everyone cursed with a meddling best friend?

Two hours later, I'd finished up my calculus, algebra and chemistry homework, and I was in the process of taking notes from my Ancient Rome text book, reading the pages my class had been assigned, when Kurt sat down next to me at the table, the slap of books on wood echoing through the quiet library and making a few people jump.

"Oops," he said, his accent making the word more hissy.

"Hi Kurt, how're you feeling?" I grinned, taking stock of the bags under his eyes and the pained expression.

"Terrible!" he sighed, sitting down and flipping open to a page in his textbook. "Can you still help me vis sis assignment?" he asked. I was beginning to notice that his accent made 'th' sounds into 's' sounds, and there seemed to be no difference between the 'w' and 'v' as they both just sounded like a 'v'. I guess it just helped with the whole hissy type sound that layered his words.

"Course," I smiled. Our last topic had been about Ancient Egypt, but Storm had moved us on pretty quickly to Ancient Rome, and Ancient Greece as well; Storm talked a bit about each and then talked about similarities and differences between the two. I picked up Kurt's copy of the Ancient Egypt textbook and filled through the pages, pointing out useful pages that had a lot of information, as well as the general area where he could find other books. He passed me his notes and as I read through them, I realised he had a lot of general information, but he needed to narrow it down to something more concise. For example, what factors led to the fall of the Old Kingdom, and then how did those factors come about.

By the time I'd finished helping him, and finishing the readings for both Ancient history and Modern History, I only had an hour until I was needed to do patrol. An hour was all I needed for my art assignment though, as I just had to complete it and touch up the last bits. The assignment had revolved around the theme 'Who Am I?', and we'd been given sketch journals and then instructed to cover the pages in any way we'd learnt to describe ourselves, including images, sketches, paintings, collages and words, like an image diary. I was actually quite proud of this piece of work.

When I glanced at my watch, I started packing up to head to Scott's office.

"Vhere are you going?" Kurt asked, looking up from his notes.

"Part of my punishment; patrol duty tonight," I grimaced.

"Oh," he said, standing up, "Me too. I'm patrolling vis you."

"Really? Okay then, we'd better go," I said, waiting patiently for him to pack up his books. "Is that your punishment then?"

He nodded, "I have to patrol every night, and vash up after dinner every night."

We walked out and I saw something out the corner of my eye that made me stop and back track back into the library, "No way." I laughed.

Behind the desk sat a very irritated, very grouchy looking John. He looked up and when he saw us, he scowled, "What?"

"I guess you got stuck with library duty," I giggled, because really, this was _John_. I don't remember even seeing him in here before; heck, I didn't think he even knew we had a library. And he was stuck here, in an environment that required him to be quiet, and he was such a hothead and just generally a loud person. "You must hate it."

"Can you try not to sound so happy about it?" he glowered.

"Come on, John, it's funny! This is the least suited job for you," I laughed quietly, keeping in mind we were in a library. "How many people have you scared off?"

"None," he replied with a devilish grin, "But the night is still young. Besides, I only just got to sit at this desk; that crazy lady," he jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the resident librarian, "Had me returning books all afternoon. I've had no time to do any homework," he said, not looking put out at all.

"Yeah, I can see you're all cut up about that," I said drily. "And the library closes in like, twenty minutes, not even that. It only stays open ten minutes after lights out."

"Uh, ve have somvhere to be," Kurt reminded me.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks Kurt. I'll see you later John," I called over my shoulder.

"Where do you have to be?" he called after me. "Where do you have to be with him?"

I just shook my head at him, walking backwards, "Patrol." Any further reply he tried to make was cut off as the library door swung shut.

We hurried along to his office before knocking on the door. He ushered us in, informing us that all we really had to do was walk up and down the corridors, making sure students were settling down and not walking in and out of their rooms. Some students, mainly the older ones, still needed to study, in which case they had permission to keep their light on, or be in the rec area, which had a few tables and chairs and seemed to be a very popular place to complete homework – probably because of the soft chairs.

So we headed off, splitting at the top of the stairs to the first level, where all the student rooms were. I turned right, to the girls side and Kurt went left to the boys side. The first few rooms was where the younger grades were, the further along you went, the progressively older the students got. The very first room had a six year old and two eight year olds, who were easier to convince to go to sleep than I thought. With very little argument, I managed to get them into their own beds, switching their light off and closing their door. I waited a few moments, just to make sure they weren't about to get back up and start talking again. That was the thing with girls; sharing rooms was like having a sleepover, and nobody ever got much sleep at a sleepover.

The next couple rooms were harder to control; adolescent girls who wanted to do nothing but talk to their friends about everything. Chatty, that's the word I'd use to describe their incessant need to keep talking, even when I informed them it was time to settle down and think about going to sleep.

Surprisingly, one room of who I assumed were fifteen year olds was already asleep. A couple girls were hanging out in each other's rooms, quickly speeding from one room to another. I'm pretty sure they were doing that on purpose, so I'd get confused as to who was supposed to be in what room.

Then, I came across two girls trying to swap rooms because one had a fight with their best friend, who was also their roommate over something to do with a boy, and she'd convinced another girl to switch rooms with her. Sighing, I sat them down and explained that if they really were best friends, they'd get over it and move on, because nothing was so important, especially not a boy who couldn't possibly understand the bond girls form when they become friends, as to ruin a friendship. There were some angry accusations made, tears, and eventual apologies and hugs as I mediated between them. They ended up staying in their original rooms, which was lucky because I wasn't even sure if you were allowed to change rooms on a whim like that.

One room had four girls; two reading, one listening to music, and the other playing solitaire on her bed. I nodded, and because they weren't making any noise, decided to leave them to it, just reminding them that it was late. When I reached my room, I didn't even bother opening the door; I could hear Jubes' snoring out here.

I started to make my way back along, double checking rooms. Some girls thought I wasn't serious and still seemed to be talking. I sighed, knocking on the door, switching their light off to multiple shouts of "Hey!" and told them to go to sleep. If they were older, I wouldn't have said anything because they were old enough to know what was good for them, but they were only about thirteen, and quarter to twelve was a long time for them to be awake till.

I made it back to the grand staircase, waiting for Kurt so we could walk down to the rec room and check for wandering students. He appeared five minutes later, looking annoyed, muttering about boys trying to break out of their rooms through their windows to get over to the girls side.

"Zey made zree attempts, and I caught zem each time!" he said, holding up three fingers and looking exasperated. I noticed that when he was annoyed, his 's' sounds became more like a 'z' sound.

"Well, you can't say they weren't determined," I shrugged, walking down the stairs. "I guess they just really liked those girls."

"But did zey have to do it zen?" he grumbled.

Again, I shrugged, "If they managed to make it there, the girls would have liked it for sure; girls like it when guys are spontaneous like that, in showing some kind of affection or want of a relationship."

"Really?" he asked, sounding surprised and I laughed.

The hallways leading to the rec room was deserted, thankfully. I just wanted to get my Spanish study done and go to bed. And hopefully not wake up until next year sometime. And then I remembered that I forgot about the extra page of reading I was supposed to do for Ancient History. Yay! (Sarcasm). The rec room was also almost completely deserted except for this one boy who didn't sleep. Ever. He sat watching a TV flicker from channel to channel, looking bored. I couldn't imagine what it would be like not to sleep. I mean that was all I wanted to do right now.

We turned back around and started along the corridor back towards the sweeping staircase.

"You are really pretty," Kurt said from beside me.

My head whipped to the side to stare at him, a frown on my face, confused at his words when suddenly, he was kissing me. The force of his lips meeting mine made me stumble back a step, and he followed, my back pressing against the wall, Kurt only an inch away from my body. I was frozen, completely at a loss of what to do.

I barely even knew Kurt, and he was kissing me. I wasn't interested in him in that way, as far as I was aware, and I realised that every second I didn't push him away was another second he grew more confident. He took a tiny in step towards me and I panicked. This was going to be one embarrassing conversation. I moved my hands up to push him away –

When suddenly a loud growl snarled down the corridor, echoing slightly. Kurt sprang away from me, his head snapping around, searching. I took a second to collect my thoughts, preparing what I would say to a teacher, or student. Preferably a student as the likelihood that that student was younger was good, and a younger student was something I could handle. Being sideswiped and caught completely unawares by Kurt's lips was something I could not. But now we were back in an element I could control. And then it hit me that it was a _growl_ that had stopped Kurt.

And who did I know that growled more often than speaking?

Yeah, Logan was not something I was ready for.

In a split second he was in front of us, his face contorted in a snarl of rage as he gripped Kurt's shirt in his fist, jerking him up, nearly off the ground and slamming him against the wall. It was kind of frightening, the raw power and strength Logan had, and how he could just as easily channel it into threatening someone as he could teaching me how to block a punch to the head. Through my power, I could feel Logan's anger seething around him like melted black tar. The belligerent forcefulness surrounding Logan also had a confusing undercurrent of defensiveness. Which really, didn't make much sense.

"What's your name?" he growled menacingly, his deep, coal black eyes boring into Kurt's and his tone hostile.

Kurt's eyes were as wide as saucers, and I'm fairly certain his skin just became a paler shade of blue.

"Kurt, s-sir," he stuttered, and I finally understood why people could be so frightened of Logan. When that kind of rage was directed at you, it wasn't pretty. Logan could be menacing, and threatening and downright scary. And yet, I still didn't personally find him scary. Maybe it was just because he wasn't focused on me at the moment.

"Do yah know 'bout the boy-girl interaction rules?" he glared daggers, sharp enough to cut.

"Y-yes, sir," Kurt managed to get out. Really, I felt bad for Kurt, but he did attack me after all. Well, attack was a strong word, but still, I certainly didn't ask him to kiss me. And then I remembered talking about spontaneous shows of affections and I wanted to slap myself in the face. I should have been more careful what I said around Kurt and John, especially after the conversation after saving their asses at the club. But it wasn't my fault; I was talking about those other boys, not him. Jesus, he just took it the wrong way.

"Then what were yer doin'?" Logan snapped.

"I-"

Logan blazed ahead ignoring whatever Kurt was about to say. "Let me make this real clear, bub, if I catch yah like that again, then it'll be my turn ta punish yah fer breaking school rules. And it'll hurt. Got it?" Logan loosened his grip on Kurt.

Kurt stared at him, wide-eyed still as he nodded quickly, "Yes, sir!"

"Then what are yah still doin' here?" he growled, and Kurt ran off, faster than I thought would be possible. We were done with patrol now anyway, so I didn't feel abandoned so much.

Then Logan turned those enigmatic eyes on me. The fury in them dulled slightly but they still held a dangerous glint as he took stock of my surprised expression that hadn't changed since he'd busted us. In fact, I hadn't moved at all as I watched Logan's stormy expression and felt his ire. Vaguely, I wondered if he liked scaring people like that, and then I realised it probably had something to do with being a feral; an alpha thing. Males fought over things like food, territory and females all the time in the wild, and Logan definitely had that same kind of defensive attitude. He had to show everyone else who was on top and in charge.

He folded his arms across his chest and I swallowed reflexively. But not from fright, or the formidable stance he took, or even from his tirade just then, or the hot anger in his eyes, but from the fact that he made that simple gesture look good. I was standing here, rather calm, thinking about how angry he was and how it had to do with being an alpha, and I didn't feel a shred, not one ounce, of fear. I should; he wasn't someone to mess with and he'd just proved how frightening he could be, but I couldn't conjure up any.

Maybe I was defective.

Because all I could think of, instead of feeling fear and looking for a good place to hide, was how sexy it was. It was wrong of me, but I couldn't help it. There was something so deliciously alluring about Logan's primal instincts of alpha dominance, and something so sexy about the way he carried it out that made it hard to think of anything else. My cheeks flushed slightly, and I realised that Logan's anger was affecting me more than when Kurt had _kissed_ me. It made me wonder how it would affect me if _Logan_ kissed me and –

Okay, what the hell was wrong with me?

I crossed my arms over my chest, mimicking Logan's pose, but mine was more defensive than anything else. He raised an eyebrow at me and it bugged me how good even that small gesture looked on him. "What the hell do yah think yer doin'?" he snapped at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked innocently.

"Yah know what I mean," he growled, aggressive.

I sighed, "Look, I didn't ask him to kiss me, he just did!"

"Yah weren't puttin' up much of a fight," he retorted, his anger had died down, but it was still simmering.

I looked at him, outraged, "For your information, I was about to push him away when you bust down the hallway, acting all macho!" there was something different about Logan from other teachers; usually I would never had said such a thing to a teacher, but Logan was a confrontational, argumentative kind of guy who did things a different way. It was probably why he and Scott butted heads all the time. Scott disciplined students hoping they wouldn't do it again, Logan terrified them into submission so they definitely wouldn't do it again.

"That's not what it looked like from here," he glowered.

"Then maybe you should get your eyesight checked!"

"My eyesight's just fine," he growled.

"Then work on your interpersonal skills because I certainly didn't want him to kiss me! It's just made everything very complicated," I groaned at the last part because now I was going to have to talk to Kurt about this.

"If yah didn' want him ta kiss ya, why did he then? Do I need ta have a talk with him 'bout sexual harassment?" his voice was low and threatening, like he wanted to go after Kurt and tear him a new one. I'm pretty sure when he said 'talk' he actually meant 'threaten with the possibility of a fight'.

"No! I just…it wasn't like _that_. I just meant that…I'm not the most perceptive person when it comes to that kind of thing," I said, gesturing after Kurt. "So, sometimes I say things that are taken in a different way to what I meant because of what I'm not aware of. I know, confusing. But if you don't mind, I still have study to do and I'd like to finish before our run tomorrow morning," I sighed, brushing past him. Damn that woodsy smell that surrounded him. It was heady and addictive.

He was about to say something further when I cut him off, "If you still feel like doing a little yelling, I think there may be some boys attempting to scale the wall and break into a girls room. You can have another 'discussion' about the boy-girl interaction rules." I snapped that last part at him, vaguely hearing the excited shouts in my head as they tried for a fourth time.

"Wait a minute, I'm not finished with yah, yet," he growled, grabbing my arm and spinning me back around. I wasn't expecting it and I gasped, stumbling into him, my hand landing on his chest to support myself. His chest was hard under my palm, the flannel of his shirt soft. And there was his scent again, like my own personal torture. My eyes travelled up his chest, to his neck, his chin, then his lips. I paused there a second too long before meeting his eyes.

I pushed myself away from him, and he didn't hold on. He could have; he was easily strong enough to, but he didn't. I swallowed. The expression in his dark eyes confused me; I didn't know what it was. But his face just shut down and I felt myself get angry.

Finding my voice again, "I don't appreciate you scolding me like a child, like what I did, or in this case what Kurt did, was wrong. It was just a kiss; kissing is supposed to be fun. Am I not allowed to have fun? Was it really that terrible that you had to scare the crap out of him like that? Is kissing something I'm not allowed to do? Am I not allowed to have fun?" I repeated heatedly, my cheeks turning red in my anger. He frustrated me, this giant mass of strength and mystery and sadness. The way he made me feel, the way he made me question myself, doubt myself.

"Not like that, not with him," Logan said stoically, leaving it at that, and not explaining his cryptic answer. It made me want to hit my furled hands against his chest in exasperation.

"With who then?" I shouted at him, trying to get him to show me some kind of emotion, other than this…mask of nothingness. I hated that I couldn't be close to him, stand in his presence without feeling something, and all the while he just stood there with his walls and distance and cold, unreadable stares. Didn't he feel anything? My eyes got slightly glassy as I tried to force the tears back, and I refused to use my power to look inside his mind and find out. "John? Remy? Colossus?"

"No," he said lowly, almost threateningly, as his jaw clenched tight, so tight I thought he'd crack his teeth.

I let out a bitter laugh, "Who then? You?" I asked and his jaw twitched. When he didn't scoff and laugh, telling me that I was a silly little girl with a silly little crush, my tears dried up and I drew myself up, feeling myself getting colder, more distant. Just like him. "Please, tell me, I beg you, just tell me. Clearly I'm just a confused kid who has no idea, right?" I asked, sarcasm coming to the surface as I spoke in harsh tones. I didn't realise until just then that I was goading him, trying to get him to reveal something of himself that he clearly didn't want to reveal.

"You're not a kid," he muttered, and I didn't know whether to laugh or scream.

"Funny," I snapped, "I've been saying that for days now. You've never listened to it before." I was amazed at how cold my voice was. All my fight drained from me and I sighed, feeling exhausted and defeated and completely spent. I couldn't maintain a detached, cold persona for long, because I wasn't like that, I couldn't keep my emotions bottled up or keep people blocked out for long. I couldn't make myself feel nothing because I already felt too much, felt things too strongly. He took me on an emotional rollercoaster, one that seemed to have no end. But the thing I hated most was that I wasn't sure I wanted it to end. "Why are you doing this to me?" I whispered as I turned and walked away, not expecting an answer as I headed for my room to get my books.

I was so tired, I just wanted to forget about any school work I needed to do, and just go to bed. As I made it to my room, I was already regretting my outburst and fight with Logan. What was wrong with me? I felt silly as I turned the door knob silently, wishing I could learn how to manipulate time and go back to stop myself from making an idiot of myself and exploding at Logan like that.

Sneakily, I slipped into our room and grabbed my Spanish notebooks and Ancient textbook, before slipping back out without a noise. Though, it probably wasn't necessary; I doubt they'd hear the fire alarm going off over the sounds of their snores. My spy moves were totally wasted. I headed for the rec room when my stomach let out a loud growl. I hadn't had dinner, so I changed course, thinking the kitchen would be a good place to set up. Now that I thought about it, lack of food would probably explain why I was so touchy, why I had exploded at Logan like that. Yes, lack of food and exhaustion would make anyone irritable. I switched the light on, dropping my books on the bench and searching for something to eat. Luckily, I found a packet of curry pasta where all you had to do was add milk, butter and water before simmering it over a stove for a couple minutes.

I settled down onto a stool, preparing to immerse myself in verb conjugations and definitions. Flipping through our textbook, I began searching for words and phrases that could be on our exam, revising simple words as well.

My eyes threatened to close the whole time.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what did you think? Bit of tension, huh?<strong>

**Please review and let me know! And thank you so much to those who reviewed!**

**Until next time :D**


	14. Chapter 14

I was roughly shaken awake and I groaned. My pillow was a lot harder than I remembered, and I couldn't believe I didn't hear the alarm go off. Actually, now that I thought about it, I wasn't in a normal sleeping position. I seemed to be slumped over and my back ached something chronic.

I groaned again, my eyes opening. I focused on a pair of what looked like running shorts first, before realising what I was looking at. My cheeks were red as I moved my eyes upwards. Logan stood there, his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. Remembering last night, I blushed harder. My cheek was pressed against my Ancient text book as I leaned on the bench.

His lips moved and I realised I couldn't hear him. And then I heard the music.

_I walked to the borders on my own, to fall in the water just like a stone, chilled to the marrow in them bones, why do I go here all alone…_

I pulled the earphones I only vaguely remember putting in my ears last night, out, sitting up with a sigh of protestation. My back was sore and my neck was stiff.

"Have yah been here the whole night?" his rough voice asked me.

"I guess so," I blinked my sore eyes; clearly I hadn't had enough sleep, judging from what felt like cotton wool being spread over my eyes. I looked at the time on my IPod. 4:32. "Okay, okay, I'll meet you downstairs."

I began packing up my books, hoping I hadn't drooled anywhere in the process. Logan was still standing there when I got up to head to my room to get changed. He was shifting uncomfortably and determinedly not looking at me, staring over my shoulder. "Logan?" I asked softly.

He cleared his throat. Then did it again, his eyes shifting to look over my other shoulder. He was making me very nervous, "Logan? Just spit it out!"

"It's nothin'," he said roughly, quickly, still not looking at me. "Let's go."

I could feel the tension radiating off him in waves. I didn't even need to use my power to know that. "I just have to get changed."

I hurried to my room, trying to roll the cricks out of my neck as I changed into running gear; a fitted, plain white singlet, and black shorts. Logan said nothing as I met him downstairs, stretching. He said nothing as we ran, my legs feeling the burn all too soon for my liking. He didn't work up a sweat until later, when I was already red in the face and desperate for a break. But I didn't say anything, and neither did he.

Bits of last night's conversation kept playing in my mind:

"_Not with him, not like that."_

"_With who then? John? Remy? Colossus?" "No."_

"_Who then? You?"_

"_You're not a kid."_

I couldn't get it out of my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about it now, about the way I'd been so blatant and blunt and harsh. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Logan glance at me. I swallowed, trying not to think about it. I should concentrate on my breathing, I shouldn't think about Logan's enigmatic eyes and what they did to me. I shouldn't think about how angry he'd been at Kur –

Suddenly, it felt like I was yanked forward as something grabbed onto my ankle. I had been so absorbed in my own head that I hadn't noticed the fallen tree in front of me. How I managed to miss the giant trunk of wood laying across the ground, I'd never know. But then Logan's hand wrapped around my wrist, pulling me back up and stopping me from falling forward and probably breaking something. An electrical current zapped up my arm from where his rough fingers wrapped around my small wrist, the skin tingling in excitement, and I gasped.

I panted, both from exertion and from the electricity between our connected skin. The energy heated up further, so hot, like molten lava, it scorched my skin while also tingling from the jolts of voltage. I wanted that heat to cover every inch of my skin, I wanted him to back me up against a tree and kiss me senseless until I was nothing but molten lava. I wanted to be breathless in a different way to what I was from running.

Running.

Which is what I should be doing right now. I snatched my arm free and took off down the trail. I ran, ignoring the need for oxygen in a way only people running from something did. What was I running from? This feeling, this thing between me and Logan? Was it even real, or was I just imagining it? I hadn't got a look at Logan's face so I didn't know if he felt it too, that _heat_. Then again, even if I had seen his face, I didn't think I'd even know what he was feeling because of the perfect, stony wall he had built that let nothing out. And then it hit me; what if the mask _is_ what he was feeling? What if he felt nothing, and I was deluding myself? Every time something happened between us, his face just shut down, until all I could see in his face was a frown. I was making a fool of myself and he was just too nice to tell me.

But. _But,_ the conversation from last night raged in my head. I couldn't have fun, like kissing with Kurt like that, or with John or Remy or Colossus, and when I suggested that I should with Logan, he didn't say anything. That would have been the perfect moment to tell me that I was being stupid. But he didn't. And being nice wasn't really Logan's thing. If he had a problem with someone, he came out and said it. Always, he let his feelings known in either a glare, or growl, or few choice words. But then when something like that happened between us, he clammed up and became slightly defensive and angry.

Logan caught up easily, something that bugged me. Up ahead I saw the mansion coming into view, something I was grateful for. I needed to get some space from Logan.

When I made it back to the mansion, Jubes was standing there with two tall glasses of what looked like water. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at her and she grinned evilly. I slowed down and walked towards her slowly, suspicious, not sure what she was up to.

"What are you doing?" I asked her distrustfully.

She smiled sweetly, "Well, I figured you were on your run, so I brought you some water, in case you were thirsty."

"Thanks…" I said, not sounding very grateful in my opinion. She headed towards us.

Her eyes flickered over to my side and I looked over to where she was looking, trying to figure out her plan. Logan stood there, stretching down, standing close enough to hear us, but not close enough to be a part of the conversation. I started to stretch as well.

And then Jubes spilt one of the cups of water all down the front of my shirt as she 'tripped'. The other cup remained miraculously full. Fancy that.

"Jubes!" I shouted. The water was freezing against my heated and sweaty skin. I even spotted some ice cubes on the ground. I glared at her, only to find her narrowing her eyes at Logan in concentration. "What did you do that for?!"

I glanced over to Logan who was slightly bent forward, touching his toes, but his head was tilted back, looking at me. Or, more specifically, my saturated front, his dark eyes hooded. I looked down.

Oh my god. I was going to kill Jubes!

"Sorry chica, I tripped," Jubes said absentmindedly.

I crossed my arms, trying to shield myself. The water had turned my white shirt into a nearly transparent shirt. My light blue push-up bra clearly visible, the shirt clinging to me in a way that made me think it would have been more decent to just not wear it in the first place. My cheeks warmed up and I turned my body away from Logan, whose eyes were still glued to my chest, body frozen in his current position.

And then Jubes tipped the other cup of water over Logan who jolted upright and growled at her, giving her a very impressive death-glare which rivalled my own.

Oblivious, she grinned tauntingly, "Sorry, but you looked like you needed to cool down."

I hated how she was playing with us like that. I was definitely going to kill her. Right after I thanked her, because Logan's shirt was also transparent and sticking to him like a second skin. I couldn't stop my eyes from travelling over the muscles of his abdomen, remembering that his chest was just as hard as it looked.

A burst of tinkling laughter came from Jubes and I tore my eyes away from Logan.

"Hhmm, that water didn't seem to help. Maybe you should consider a nice, _cold shower_," she grinned manically and I was seriously considering that mental asylum right now. Cue my groan of embarrassment.

Logan straightened up, his shoulders going tense as he headed inside. I wondered if Jubes was right and if he was going to take her advice. "Don't forget to stretch properly," he said gruffly, not looking back. When he was inside, I rounded on Jubes, who appeared to be scribbling away in a notebook. She couldn't be taking this 'experimenting' thing seriously. Could she?

I wasn't sure how much more I'd be able to handle. "Jubes!"

"Yes, chica?" she looked up patiently, like she hadn't just done anything and she was wondering what I could possibly want.

"You! I can't believe you, well actually, yes, I can, but that's not the point. Why'd you do that to me?" I glared.

"What are you rambling about?" she sighed, looking like I was interrupting something important that she was doing.

"What am I rambling about?" I repeated, working myself up. "You can't be serious! _What am I rambling about?_ Jubes, you just made my shirt irrelevant!"

"Pfft," she said, waving me off. "All in the name of science, chica."

"Please tell me this is all a big joke," I groaned.

"Science is not a joke," she scolded.

"What are you playing at?" I asked, making a grab for her notebook.

She held it back, out of my reach, and I cursed the fact that she was taller than me, "None of your business."

I sighed, "I don't have time for this." I turned on my heel and headed for the horse stables, ready to muck them out.

00000

Three days later I was beginning to wonder what the hell Jubes was doing, but every time I asked her what she was up to, she either berated me for being nosey, told me I was being paranoid, or just grinned at me like she knew something I didn't. Always she was elusive and would manage to extricate herself from me in a matter of seconds. It was enough to drive anyone insane. On two separate occasions I had seen Jubes walking away from the direction Logan was in. She wore a speculative and/or conniving look both times, while Logan looked both pissed off and uncomfortable.

Finally, I managed to corner her, "Jubes, this has got to stop."

"What on earth are you talking about, chica?" she asked innocently, her eyes darting around for what I assumed would be her escape route.

"Jubes, come on. I'm not stupid," I said impatiently.

"I'll tell you what, if you can tell me what it is _exactly_ that I'm doing and _why_, then I'll stop," she said, smiling in a way that reminded me of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

I frowned, "Well it has to do with Logan, and you're doing some sort of experiment… to find something out… that'll explain…whatever it is you're thinking needs to be explained," I attempted pathetically, because really, I wasn't sure specifically what it was she was trying to find out. I knew it had to do with Logan and me, and whether I liked him, but I didn't understand how she could find that out by going to Logan and badgering him.

"Chica." She began, shaking her head. "You just gave me a standard definition of 'experiment'. You're going to have to do better than that."

"Jubilee," I began, giving her my 'I'm serious' look.

"Did you hear that? I think that was Storm calling me; you're making me late to class. And to think, you're the one who always encouraged us to be punctual to class as there was 'a lot of learning to do'," she said, shaking her head in a disappointed manner. She used her finger to air quote 'a lot of learning to do' like she seriously doubted it to be true. I rolled my eyes as she hurried off down the hall.

I sighed, heading to my class, trying to figure her out. It was tempting to just use my power and read her mind, but I'd long ago decided that it would be wrong to do that; I'd be violating a person's most secret place, their sanctuary – the only place they could be honest. I wasn't going to take that away. Even if I really wanted to.

00000

The next day, I was beginning to spot the signs that usually ended up leading to one of her 'experiments'.

We were walking down the corridor, heading for our English class. Both Kitty and Rogue were with us as we dodged other kids in the corridors, some running and shouting, some attempting to get a quick game of basketball in before class started.

Sign number one: Jubes was deep in thought, tuned out to what the rest of us were saying.

Sign number two: Logan was walking in the other direction down the corridor, the kids giving him a wide berth. There was a small frown on his face, but it made him look intimidating.

We were heading for a clump of kids trying to run around Logan. My eyes stuck to him, watching him scowl at the ones who got too close. It made me smile ridiculously. My memory conjured up those electrical sparks I felt and a shiver ran up my spine, followed by a soft sigh.

Logan's head jerked up and his eyes connected with mine. I quickly glanced away, feeling my cheeks warm up at being caught. Just as we were close to Logan, suddenly, something hard knocked my ankles just as I went to step forward, pushing it around my other ankle and making me fall forward.

But I didn't hit the floor because Logan caught me. I was jerked back up onto my feet safely. Subconsciously, I drew on earth to add a little pull to my feet, keeping them planted on the ground, like gravity's pull had increased a bit. Electrical jolts shuddered under my skin as molten lava trailed over my arm, spreading outwards.

"Um…thanks," I said softly, my cheeks a little pink as I looked up at him face. Amusement danced in his dark eyes, a smirk on his lips.

"Yer welcome," he said, his voice rough.

Then a voice I was beginning to associate with annoyance sounded beside us, "Yes, yes, she's grateful and lucky you were there Wolvie, but we need to get to class; she doesn't have all day to stare into your eyes." _Oh God. _Does she say stuff like that on purpose because she knows it embarrasses me?

She gave my arm a yank, pulling me down the corridor. I didn't realise until just then that Logan was still gripping my arm. He released his grip as Jubes pulled me forward more and I shoved her when we were further away.

"I am going to kill you Jubilation Lee," I said threateningly.

She just grinned like a child did when the puzzle pieces were coming together and forming a picture.

00000

I didn't immediately spot it the next time because instead of looking deep in thought, Jubes was glancing around, obviously searching for someone.

I thought maybe she was searching for Logan, to put the next part of her experiment into motion, but I saw her see Logan behind us, before continuing to search.

But when she suddenly stopped looking around and started grinning, I became suspicious. But I only had a total of three seconds to be suspicious before I was attacked. Okay, well, technically (again) I wasn't attacked, but I was sideswiped by a guy who threw himself at me and proceeded to kiss me when I didn't want him to.

He landed one on me good before he was yanked away from me (again) by a snarling Logan. But I hadn't told Jubes, or anyone, what had happened the other night, and I certainly didn't want to with her new love of 'science' as she called it. When Logan began to yell, I turned and bolted down the corridor before anyone could stop me, not at all eager to explain to Logan, again, why I was kissing someone. The name 'Jake' surfaced in my mind as I tried to figure out who he was and why he'd done that.

And then I remembered that I'd seen him talking to Jubes yesterday afternoon, after classes ended. I started off in search for her, thinking it over. She'd been quick to dismiss him and I'd been none the wiser as she steered me in the other direction very smoothly for someone who did not excel at subtlety. Really, I should have pieced it together sooner.

I spotted her seated in her usual spot in our modern history class. Unsurprisingly, she was writing in that blasted book.

I got straight to the point, not bothering to beat around the bush, and really, I was just tired of it all. "You planned that, didn't you?"

Again with the innocent expression which I no longer trusted at all. "Cut the crap, Jubilation Lee."

She dropped the innocent act, "If it helps, I learnt what I intended to discover this time."

"What, and those other times you didn't?" I snapped, glad she was giving up on avoiding the topic.

"It seems," she began, choosing her words carefully so that she didn't give too much away. "Logan is very good at controlling himself. But when it comes to others, it's a different story."

"What do you mean?" I glared at her.

"Need to know basis," she said elusively.

"I hate you."

"No you don't," she replied with all the confidence of the world.

"Yes," I insisted stubbornly, "I really do."

"But chica, I'm doing this for you," she pouted at me, a frown marring her olive complexion.

"Don't lie to me. If this was for me, you would have stopped when I asked you to, and you wouldn't find this all so amusing," I said, gesturing to her smile which she immediately tried to quell. "Say whatever you want about all this, but don't lie to me."

"This is for your own good, chica," was all she said.

I sighed.

00000

I had absolutely no warning when it happened next.

I was peacefully immersed in another sketch, at my usual tree in the woods. It was a fair distance from the school, the path rarely ever used except by those who know it's there in the first place, so I thought I'd be safe.

I'd finished feeding and grooming the horses hours ago, and the sun was dipping down towards the horizon, a deep orange light throwing dark shadows through the trees. A quiet hush had fallen as the animals waited for the sun to disappear.

I should have been studying; I had a lot of school work to do and no time to waste on sketches not for art class. But I had to get away from Jubes. She was driving me to the brink of insanity, and I don't know how much more I'd be able to take before I fell.

My palms tingled as I got a hold on my power, gently floating down to the ground, deciding to walk back. It was a fair walk, but I could use the extra time to clear my head. There was a slight rustling off to my side and I ignored it, sure it was just an animal. No big deal.

Maybe I should have used my power to check. But I didn't because it never occurred to me that it could be Jubes hiding out there, waiting to catch me unawares.

I was so fully absorbed inside my own head, I didn't notice her creep up behind me. But she did, jabbing her bony fingers into my waist and making me let out a blood curdling scream. I jumped forward, my heart beating at a million miles an hour, while also turning to face my attacker and bringing my hands up into a defensive manoeuvre.

When I saw it was Jubes, I dropped my hands, slumping weakly against a nearby tree, trying to calm my racing heart. She was letting out quiet little chortles at my reaction.

"Oh, yeah, it'll be real funny when you have to ring an ambulance because I've gone into cardiac arrest," I snapped at her. She bent double in silent laughter, tears of mirth rolling down her face.

And then I lunged at her, tackling her to the ground and catching her as unaware as she caught me. Her shock momentarily made her pause, allowing me to gain the upper hand. But then her experience kicked in and she rolled us over, taking control. I fought back, attempting to roll us back over again until we were flailing about in the dirt. She sat on my stomach and I harrumphed at her, annoyed at her overpowering me so easily.

A second later, a very alert looking Logan burst past some trees, his eyes spotting me before sweeping the area, looking for anything that could be concealing a threat.

"Tut tut," Jues said, shaking her head disappointedly. "Your response time isn't up to scratch, Wolvie. She screamed at least a full minute ago."

Only then did he seem to take us in, spotting an angry me being held down as Jubilee sat on me, legs crossed, expectant look on her face, "What took you so long?"

"Well," he began, shifting uncomfortable, "I had ta – wait on. What's going' on here?" he growled at her, seeming to remember he was the teacher and didn't have to answer to a student.

"Very interesting," she said by way of answer.

I rolled my eyes, shoving her off me with a groan before getting up and brushing off the dirt, "Jubes thought it would be funny to cut ten years off my life," I informed him drily, giving her the stink eye.

"You're so dramatic, chica," Jubes grumped when I refuse to help her up, ignoring her outstretched hand.

"What did yah do?" Logan squinted at Jubes, the fading light making it harder to see. Though, with his enhanced eyesight, he probably could see perfectly fine and was in fact glaring at her.

"An experiment," she said, waving him off like it wasn't important. "Thea screaming, you showing up, response time, that kind of thing."

He watched her for a moment, like he thought she was kidding. When she didn't appear to be making a joke, he glared at her, brushing past us and continuing on down the path, grumbling something about 'girls' and 'fuckin' heart attacks'.

"Jubes?" I started.

"I know, I know," she sighed, starting down the path towards the school. "You hate me."

"Yep," I said lightly, shoving her off the path and towards a tree. When she landed with a thump on the ground, I grinned.

I didn't even know how she knew Logan was running, though he had been doing that a lot lately.

00000

My training sessions with Logan consisted of absolutely no skin-to-skin contact at all. It made me wonder if he felt the electricity too. I quickly put the thought out of my mind.

Ever since our mock fighting session, Logan had changed tactics. My lessons now centred on increasing my muscle strength. There was a lot of work on the machines, so much so that after each session, I went to the stables with aching muscles.

When I questioned why he'd changed what he was teaching me, he said it would be best to strengthen the muscles I would be using with the combat moves he would eventually teach me. I'd sighed but made no further comment. I wasn't sure if I was frustrated that he wasn't teaching me how to fight, or if it was because I wouldn't have an excuse to touch him, or be in close proximity.

Yeah, I was setting myself up for embarrassment. Jubes was certainly helping on that front.

I was smart; I always knew what I was getting myself into, I understood the why's and how's of everything before I proceeded ahead and made a decision. I was always prepared and generally knew what I was doing. So, I knew that Logan was off-limits and that he fell completely and well and truly into the 'forbidden' and 'inappropriate' categories.

But I was beginning to realise that that didn't stop me for wanting what I wanted. I couldn't control everything. And it annoyed the crap out of me. It made me pissed off at myself. Because no one in their right mind would willingly walk in the direction of trouble, completely aware of what they were doing. Or at least I didn't. Well, until recently, I didn't. But apparently, I was changing, because I knew it but I didn't seem to care.

Falling for Logan could only lead to hurt, disappointment and embarrassment for me. I knew it. I was aware of this, and I was also aware that it was illegal.

I might have been able to make the argument that Logan wasn't technically a professor at this school, that he was only teaching me combat skills. But then he had to go and accept the sports teacher position when Mr Gribbs, our old sports teacher retired. So he was my teacher now.

I'd heard it was common for students to have a crush on their teachers.

Which is what I'd have to keep it as. I couldn't let this crush of mine get out of control.

I was old enough to understand right and wrong, to understand that there were black and white areas. But now I was beginning to find that there were a whole lot of grey patches as well, and it was a lot trickier to navigate than what I could have foreseen.

Having a crush on your teacher was a whole different thing to loving him, but the thing was, I wasn't sure where the line between them was, when a crush became love, where the point was when it became anything more than what was okay or permissible.

I just hoped I hadn't reached it yet.

* * *

><p><strong>THANKS so much for reading! Please let me know what you thought in a review!<strong>

**So, this chapter was a little more fun; we saw Jubilee's more mischievous side, which I personally found extremely fun to write. What do you think? Fun to read?**

**The next chapter will be a little more serious, I think.**

**Also, thank you to those who reviewed! You guys had me smiling for hours! :D**

**XD **


	15. Chapter 15

The day before the anniversary of Daniel's death, I went to see the professor.

Yes, I was grounded and therefore wasn't allowed to leave the grounds, but I had to at least try. I always spent the day with him. Just talking, sometimes sitting in silence. But I always spent it with him.

It was a Friday afternoon, classes had ended, and I knocked on the door, hoping to speak to him before I'd go help Lacey in the stables.

_Come in,_ his voice drifted to my mind. The professor didn't always talk to people in their minds like this; some didn't like it, hearing his voice in their heads. It tended to make people feel vulnerable, so being the respectful and understanding person the professor was, he didn't use his power on them. My mind was drawn more strongly to those with telepathic abilities. It was just as easy to spot the presence of another telepath as it was for me to shield myself from one.

When I first arrived at this school, the professor had said that I shielded myself subconsciously from others; that that was how I had managed to not draw attention to myself even though I lived fairly close to this school. Cerebro wasn't able to pick up on my presence or power level. The higher the level, the easier to spot with Cerebro.

When the door closed with a click, I bit my lip, not sure how to begin, "Professor…"

"Yes, Thea," he said, looking up from a stack of papers in front of him.

"I, well…"

I didn't know how to start, but he jumped in, presumably to be helpful, "Is this about Professor Logan?" he prompted when I sat down and stared at the floor, not saying anything. This was my only chance to get him to let me go, and I didn't want to stuff it up.

My head snapped up and I frowned at him, "What? No, it's not, but what about Professor Logan?"

The professor was one of those people that seemed to remain calm and unfazed all the time. He had an amazing ability to remain neutral, his face giving nothing of his hidden thoughts away. Always he seemed at ease and patient, his face betraying no other emotion. There were times when he had a certain air about him, like disappointment, which felt more like an aura almost, and at times he appeared wary, the lines on his face seeming deeper. But that was all I ever saw on him; friendliness, understanding, patience, because I thought of him as a man who knew everything already and was just waiting for you to admit it to him. But for once his unwavering calm was broken as I saw a tiny flicker of surprise in his deep penetrating eyes, the kind of eyes I associated with telepaths because they looked like they could bore all the way down to your soul and know all your secrets and desires. I guess I had eyes like that too.

This moment made me question those preconceived ideas though, because I definitely saw surprise in his eyes, and he didn't seem to know I was here about Daniel. Maybe he didn't know everything. It made me feel slightly better.

"Oh, no, nothing," he said hurriedly. "Now, what is it that you want?"

"Well, okay, I know I'm grounded. And I know what that entails, but I was wondering… you see, I had a brother – "

"Daniel? Yes, I know about him," he nodded. Okay, maybe he did know everything.

"It's the anniversary of his death tomorrow," I said, getting to the point. My heart gave a tug that I felt more strongly that the butterflies in my belly. "I always spend the day with him." I left it at that, waiting to see what he would say about it.

He frowned, placing his hands together and resting them on the desk in front of him. He didn't say anything for a moment, deep in thought. "What would you do if I permitted you to go?"

My heart leaped as, against my wishes, hope filled my chest. It never seemed like a good idea to hope, because if I didn't work out, I would be crushed and devastated. But sometimes I needed hope too. "I would borrow Jubilee's car and head out tomorrow morning to spend most of the afternoon there then head back later the same day. I would be back Saturday night. It's only a three or four hour drive."

"Thea," he began and a little of the hope left me. "This is a school. Yes, it's different from other schools, but I'm still responsible for the safety of each and every child here, and their punishment should they break the rules. Given the fact that you are, indeed, grounded, as you did break the rules, you shouldn't be leaving the grounds at all for anything."

I nodded once, trying to hold back the moisture that covered my eyes.

He sighed, "But," and my head snapped back up. Judging from the way he pursed his lips, he could probably see the hope on my face. "If you can convince a teacher to accompany you, I will permit it, if only because of your limited involvement."

"Okay," I grinned, standing up. I could work with that. There were a couple teachers I could ask. Jean, maybe, or Storm. Before I left the room, the professor stopped me.

"You know you can talk to me," he said, watching me so closely I felt myself tense. Those penetrating eyes missed nothing. "About anything."

"Of course, professor," I frowned, not sure why he was suddenly so intent on making me understand that I could talk to him. The professor was a very non-judgemental person, and people talked to him easily. Maybe with the club incident he thought the communication between us could be better. "Thank you."

The first thing I did was look for Jean. She was easy to find; in her medical lab. I was definitely going to be on the receiving end of some scathing glares from Lacey for being late, but I had to get this sorted first.

"Professor?" I asked, knocking on the outside of her lab. There was a boy sitting on one of the beds, a large gash on his knee. He was biting his lip as Jean went searching for probably some antiseptic and a bandage.

"Thea, come in," she called.

I smiled at the boy, narrowing my eyes and scrutinising his eyes, "Not a single tear. You must be pretty brave," I told him and he looked at me proudly, his chin tilting up slightly.

"I didn't cry at all," he told me matter-of-factly, like he wanted to reassure me he could handle what was coming.

Seconds later, he was sent on his way with a lollypop. "What was it you wanted?" Jean asked.

"I wanted to ask a favour; are you busy tomorrow?"

"Actually," she began regretfully, "Scott and I are leaving for the weekend. I'm speaking at a conference on Mutation manifestations. Why?"

"Oh. I just needed help with something, is all," I shrugged. "Do you think Professor Storm would be available?"

"I'm sorry Thea, but her and Hank are going to meet with a child about coming here," she said.

"Oh," I repeated. I bit my lip.

"Is there anyone else you can ask?" she frowned. Jean and Storm were the ones I'd prefer to ask, simply because they were girls, and because I'd had more to do with them since I got here. Scott would be the next person I'd ask, even though he was kind of…well, a tightass. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I guess.

I worried my bottom lip between my teeth as I realised who I wanted to ask to go with me; Logan. Of course. But I didn't think he'd go, especially with all the stuff that had happened to us recently, or should I say, all the Jubes that has happened to us recently.

"Um…" I began, frowning. He wouldn't even want to go, and Logan was the kind of guy who, if he didn't want to do something, he didn't do it.

"What about Logan? I hear you two have been fairly close of late," she said lightly, but I heard it in her voice; the suspicion. I had to stop myself from blushing. But really, what would she know? A crush, while embarrassing, wasn't anything to be suspicious about, otherwise she'd be suspicious of all the girls in the school, because I was sure most had a crush on Logan too. My mind is blocked, so how could she know about my crush in the first place?

I shrugged my shoulders, aiming for nonchalance, "Well, he is training me," I offered. It was true, and therefore not a lie, and much easier to pull off.

She turned her back, rifling around on her desk, "Hhmm."

"And you know," I added on, because her 'hhmm' didn't sound very convinced, "it means I have to spend a lot of time with him." Great, now it sounded like I was _trying_ to persuade her.

"I guess so," she didn't turn around still, so I headed back out.

"Thanks anyway, Professor. I'll see you in English on Monday then," and closed the door to her lab before she could reply, or question me again.

It made me uncomfortable to know that, even though I thought I was shielding my mind, another telepath could still hear it – how else would she know or be suspicious? I'd have to work at strengthening it.

I had to stop myself from running down the hallway. But when I rounded the corner, I began to laugh at my own ridiculousness – I mean, Jean wasn't suspicious, that could have easily been deep thought. I began searching for Logan, sending glances at my watch, sure Lacey was going to be peeved.

My first guess of where he'd be would the danger room. Then the gym, then the running trail. So I headed there first, but instead found him in the gym, stretching. When I walked in, he glared at me. I stopped walking, wondering what I'd done to earn that. Had he heard about me asking him to go to the cemetery and was annoyed I'd even think of asking him?

"Yer late," he snapped at me, frowning.

"What?" I quizzed, thrown completely off-topic. "What do you – oh! Oh, I'm late! Crap, sorry, I forgot! Give me a second and I'll go to my room to change and-."

He cut me off, "No, yer've already wasted enough of my time, y'll practise in that."

I grimaced, "But I like these clothes."

He didn't seem to particularly care. I sighed.

"Yer running times are better, so I think it's time fer yah ta practice combat skills," he said begrudgingly.

I gaped at him a second, "Seriously? Finally!"

He went through the motions of teaching me how to form a fist, like right at the beginning never happened. Then he handed me some boxing gloves, directed me over to a punching bag and told me to go ahead. I sent a few testers its way fist, judging how heavy it was, and how hard I'd have to hit it to move it. beside me, Logan harrumphed, so I began punching it harder, but every time I did, it only moved a little. I found that if I didn't hit the centre, the bag would spin. I was building up quite a sweat.

"Can I ask you a favour?" I said, in between hits.

"Yah need ta concentrate," he growled at me.

"I am," I said stubbornly, "So can I ask you a favour?"

"Yah can ask," he said, somewhat ominously.

"It's the anniversary of Daniel's death tomorrow, and Professor Xavier said I could only go if a teacher accompanied me, so will you go?"

He clenched his jaw, "What about Jean or Storm?"

I sighed, "Jean's a speaker at a conference on Mutation Manifestations and Scott's going with her, and Storm and Hank are going to pick up a new student."

He didn't say anything, so I turned to look at him, prompting, "So will you go?"

"Don't stop," he growled and I quickly turned back and continued hitting it.

"Will you go?" He didn't answer, and I continued hitting the bag, hoping if I didn't press him for an answer, he'd end up agreeing.

Eventually Logan stopped me, and began going through the same defensive manoeuvres that he taught me before he started avoiding contact with me. Even then, he remained at least three feet from me at all times, and instead of moving my body for me, he would demonstrate and I'd have to copy him. "You've already taught me all this stuff!"

"And I'm teachin' yah again," he growled.

"But I remember it!"

"Yah remember how ta use it?"

"Yes," I said impatiently.

"And yah think yah could use it properly in a fight?"

"_Yes_."

"Prove it," he challenged.

"Fine," I said. "How?"

"On me," he grunted. _Don't you remember what happened last time? _I wanted to ask; it ended up with you not teaching me any combat skills. We're only just getting to them now!

"I don't think so," I shook my head.

"I'll tell yah what; if yah beat me, I'll go with yah," he bargained and I froze.

"But it's not a fair fight!"

"I thought yah said yah could use it properly," he smirked. My lips pressed into a thin line.

"I didn't say I'd win though! And you're bigger, stronger and faster than me, and you've been doing this longer!"

"Take it or leave it," he shrugged.

"Fine," I snapped. "How do I win?"

"Knock me out."

"As in, unconscious?" I asked incredulously. "I can't do that! I mean that both literally and morally."

"Then I won't go with yah," he shrugged, indifferent.

"Let's just get this over with," I sighed. "Wait, how do you win?"

He thought for a moment then said, "I hold you to the ground for five seconds."

He had it easy. Then again, I didn't really like the idea of being knocked unconscious. This time, we headed for the danger room, and Logan programmed in a park setting. A couple trees, lots of soft grass and wide space. We walked to the middle of one of those spaces, and I stopped, watching him closely.

I began analysing the situation, to prepare me. Logan would be on the offense and he'd push me into defence, that was easy to tell, but I wasn't sure how he'd initiate the fight. So I stood, about three meters from him, watching him closely. My reflexes were fairly good, so hopefully, I'd have time to react.

In a quick flash, I had a visual premonition. It was fast, ending before it really even got started, but it was simple, and it answered the question of how he'd start this. And then Logan did exactly what I saw in the premonition; he lunged right for me, a blur, as he launched an aggressive attack first. Just his style.

But seeing it coming meant I had time to prepare, so before he hit me, I jumped to the side and he ran past, landing on the ground, but a second later, he was back up and running towards me again. This time, I couldn't manoeuvre out of his way before he tackled me to the floor. Last time, I was stuck, and he probably remembered that and was using it to end it quickly, but this time, I had a bit more to fight for. I wasn't going to let him win; I couldn't if I wanted to spend the day with Daniel.

Elbows and knees; those were the easiest for me to use because of my size, so I did. I hit him across the side of the head with my elbow, and keeping with the momentum, I used my knees to roll us. It wasn't easy – he was heavy. Must be the adamantium lacing his bones. I threw a punch but he grabbed my fist, jerking my arm to the side and causing me to fall off him, landing on the grass. I was thankful it was soft.

But before he could, land on me again, I rolled my body away before jumping back up and trying to stop the dizziness. I was panting as Logan got back up, staring me down.

"I spend the day with him every year," I said threateningly. "This year isn't going to be any different."

He tossed me a feral, appraising grin. He stalked towards, and I saw again why the majority of the male population was frightened of Logan. I backed up, trying to figure out a way to get close to him for long enough that I could knock him out. Yeah, also, a way to knock him out would be good too.

My back hit a tree and I panicked; that wasn't good because it meant I was trapped. He knew it too. In fact, he'd probably been heralding me towards it. I lunged to the side as he lunged at me, and I ran. He gave chase, and he was faster. It wasn't a good idea, because it would only tire me out and make it easier for him to beat me, but I needed time to come up with a plan.

My mind was blank as strong, unbending fingers grabbed my wrist, yanking on my arm as my body tried to keep moving, but my arm was held in place. With my free hand, I grabbed at his thumb; the weakest link, and pulled, twisting it at odd angles, but it wasn't easy. He was so much stronger than me. His other hand came up, pushing down heavily on my shoulder at the same time his leg swept my feet out from under me, and I toppled to the ground.

I brought a knee up to his gut and he grunted painfully, on the clock now. With one hand pinned down against the grass, my odds weren't looking too good. He wasn't completely leaning on me, so I was able to wriggle my feet up, pushing on against his nose, and pushing his whole body back. He had to let go of me wrist and I scrambled away, allowing myself a fleeting smile.

But then I made my final mistake; I turned my back on him. The next second, my cheek was pressing against the grass, my arms twisted behind my back, his weight holding me down. I squirmed, but when I did, it killed my arms. It was effective because I couldn't move, both because of my arms, and because of the extra weight he put on me.

"Now what," he asked in my ear, and I could hear the smirk.

"Damnit," I growled, struggling even though the pain in my arms brought tears to my eyes.

Five. Four. Three. Two. One. "You lose," he said, letting go, his weight disappearing. I rolled onto my back, breathing deeply and staring at the fake blue sky. I lost. My neck felt all sweaty, my face felt heated from the exertion, and I fought to get my breath back. "When do we leave?"

I pause mid-breath. "What?"

"Tomorrow. When?"

"I thought you said - ,"

"Yah needed somethin' ta fight fer, to push yah," he explained and I stared at him, a slow smile forming on my lips. He reached out a hand and hauled me up.

"You…tricked me," I looked at him in something like surprise. I wasn't mad at all. He didn't reply. "Eight. We'll leave at eight tomorrow morning."

He nodded, walking out, "Don't forget to warm down."

…..

At eight the next morning, headed downstairs to Jubes' SUV. I'd cleared it with her the night before and she'd given me her keys, handing them over easily.

When she heard Logan was going with me, she'd taken the keys back and wouldn't hand them over until promised that we wouldn't do anything in her car. I'd snatched at them, scowling, as she laughed, holding them over her head. I hated when she did that.

As I walked out, she sat up, grinning evilly. Logan was leaning against the wall next to the door that lead to the garage, and he held his hand out for the keys, like he was driving. I raised an eyebrow at him but didn't protest when he took them from me forcibly. I didn't really feel like driving anyway. Or arguing.

With Logan driving, it only took us two hours and fifty-three minutes. The whole time, I didn't say anything, just staring out the window, and neither did he. That was one of the things I liked about Logan: he didn't feel the need to fill the silence. On a day when I wasn't in a chatty mood, he kept silent, keeping his eyes on the road. I wondered if it was because he knew I didn't feel like talking, or because he wasn't a chatty person himself. If Jean had come along, she would have been uncomfortable with the silence, I'm sure, and would have attempted conversation. It made me glad that Logan was here instead.

I directed Logan to a small flower shop nearby, returning a second late with a sunflower. They were his favourite, because they seemed so happy and they reminded him of the sun. He used to put smiley faces on them when he drew them.

My chest hurt as he pulled up outside the cemetery. It was quiet, no one around, though occasionally cars passed by. There were no other visitors today.

The wrought iron gates were open, but they always made me feel more serious; they just seemed so…final, so definite, like the line between the living in the dead, a reminder that I got to live while Danny didn't. I wished he was here. He deserved to be here. He was so sweet, and so innocent that at first, I thought the doctors were lying because he was just too _pure_ to be dead. Death was so ugly and so final, that Danny couldn't be either, and I couldn't associate either of them with him.

I stared at them a moment, before unbuckling and getting out. Logan cleared his throat, "Do I wait here or…?"

"You can come," I decided quickly, "I'll be here a while, and there's a seat close by." So he got out too.

I had to pull out a photo of him, because it'd been so long that it was hard to completely picture his face clearly. I hated that. My throat dried up and closed over as I walked slowly to where I knew his spot was, off by heart. The grounds were well-kept; the grass was green and lush, the paths of small stones and sand neat and straight and crunching under my feet until I veered off.

His head stone was straight and rectangular, and comparably newer to other's in here. Maybe ten or twenty meters away from it was a tree, with a small wooden bench under it, with enough shade to be a peaceful spot.

I thought about him as I walked closer, looking at my feet. So many memories blurred past, so many moments, that the one thing I kept coming back, the thing that was clearer than was the rest was the thought 'I miss you', because I missed him so much it hurt. But I also felt guilty; I knew what our mum was like, but I left him there anyway. If I'd just taken him with me, if I'd just stayed… that was going to stay with me forever, because even though I knew it wasn't my fault, that didn't stop me from coming up with so many different ways that could have stopped it, prevented it, and maybe both of us would be at the school right now, instead of one.

My eyes stung briefly and I blinked rapidly, and I looked up as I reached the spot, my fingers wrapped around the sunflower. But the thing was, there was no room for it.

Everywhere on his grave were little pots with budding flowers, or bouquets of other fully grown and blooming flowers, clustered together, with a small white card on top with the elegant, cursive script scrawled across it, saying 'My son, I miss you'.

It was extravagant and over the top and I immediately hated it. Hated her. Did she even put the flowers here herself, or did she send someone to do it? Had she even visited him, physically stood in front of the gravestone that was only there in the first place because of her?

"God, she's such a bitch!" I screamed. A black, overwhelming fury sucked away everything else as I stared at the show she'd made out of her son's death. Was it too hard for her to _care_? "It's not even her writing! How dare she?!" The whirlpool of angry black hate swirled around my body, spreading out, making my fingers tingle.

She didn't even write the card herself; it wasn't her writing, not even close. All the flowers were just a show, put on for the other fake people she surrounds herself with, like she's the grieving, heartbroken mother. She's pretending to care about him, when she doesn't. If I asked her, she wouldn't know the first thing about him! She paid him no attention in life, why would it be any different in death? How dare she turn his day into this, this mockery, this sideshow, this…_event_, like every other event she's ever had; only something to plan, set up, put on an act, but never invest yourself in the outcome, never really care about the people involved. Like she didn't care about Daniel.

And then I was picking up the pots and flinging them away, dirt and soil flying around. One pot hit another gravestone, breaking and sending shards to the ground, emptying the soil and budding plants out. I was so angry at her, so furious, that I wanted to hit something hard, and the pots and flowers were all just evidence of how much she _didn't care_. Dirt flew around me, in a swirl, like I was in the eye of a tornado, and pots I didn't remember picking up were flying further than I could throw, smashing to pieces, and then breaking into even smaller pieces after the pot had already landed on the ground. I grabbed bunches of the flowers and flung them away, messing up her show, ripping up the card and picking up another pot, sending it flying down rows of graves, colliding with another headstone.

The ground trembled under my feet, vibrations running up my legs, and I pulled strength from there as it grounded me to the earth, holding on tight. It shook dangerously, threatening to spilt. Petals were being picked apart, adding to the dirt and bits of torn paper, and small bits of pot flying around me, getting faster and faster.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist, pining my arms against my sides, pulling me away, towards the seat as I tried to wriggle away, to get back to the spot; there were more fake things to throw away. I hit my hands against his chest as he spun me around. They had to get away from him. "Get off me! She doesn't really care!" I screamed at Logan, my voice hoarse and scratchy and thick. The earth gave another shake, the bits flew faster, more pots exploded spontaneously. "There aren't even any sunflowers! Not a single one! If she really cared, there would be heaps of them! He's gone, and she's never going to change. I hate her! I HATE her," I yelled, as he pulled me down to the chair, and pulled my face to look at him, gripping my chin but I yanked away, trying to get back over to break more of what she left.

"Thea," he said. His black eyes seemed so sad as he held me back, forcing me down onto the chair. "It's okay ta be angry."

"She doesn't even care. She never has," I cried, only just feeling how wet my cheeks were, how there was hot liquid dripping down my cheeks, blurring my eyes. All at once, I slumped. The dirt and pot shards and flower petals dropped to the ground, littering the perfectly manicured lawn. He pulled me to him and I sobbed into his chest, and he held me, his arms tight around me, comforting. "It's just a show," my voice broke and I squeezed my eyes shut, tears leaking out as slowly the rage washed away and was replaced by pain and hopelessness.

He just held onto me, one hand brushing my hair back from my face. I could smell his so familiar scent as I calmed down, silently crying. I sniffed and pulled back, wiping at my eyes and turning away. There was dirt under my nails and I tried to get rid of it.

"Thea…" he began.

"I'm fine," I sniffed. "I'm fine."

I got up, walking back over. I swept aside all the other stuff, putting it in a pile that I would then put in a bin somewhere and placing the sunflower I bought in the middle, looking at the headstone. I stared at it. I sat down, bringing my knees up.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I miss you so much, Danny." I blinked back the tears threatening to fall again. I felt weak and my head was beginning to pound. They fell anyway.

Beside me, Logan knelt down and slowly, tentatively, like he had no idea what he was doing, brought his arms around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him, his hand on my hair and I clenched my hand around his shirt, bunching the material, my eyes sore, but not leaving the gravestone. "It's okay," he said roughly. His other hand was on my bare shoulder, and I felt that electricity, zapping through me, warming me up as it began to make the transition to molten lava.

I pulled back slightly, not far, looking up at him and he let go. His face was close to mine. "I'm sorry," I said softly, my eyes hooked on his black ones, the ones that calmed me down.

"It's okay," he said again, his lips moving, catching my attention and I stared.

Slowly, I moved me head closer, almost imperceptibly, stopping just short of his lips. The next second, they were pressed firmly to mine, moving against mine, and I melted into it. They were rough against my mine, and felt amazing, and his tongue slide along the top of my bottom lip, asking for entrance, and I obliged automatically, my tongue exploring his mouth. A hand held my face close to his, and the other slide down to my lower back, pulling me forward, closer to him, pressing me against him. Physically, we were opposites; I was soft, small and round, he was hard, big and straight, but we fit together well. Almost perfect. I twisted my fingers in his hair at the nape of his neck, the other hand grabbing his shirt to pull him closer. We toppled back, his weight pressing against me, and it felt good. All I could hear was the blood pulsing past my ears, enclosing me in this case of ecstasy where all I could feel and all I knew was him; his hands on me, his mouth on mine. His lips were dominant and aggressive, like he was desperate for my lips.

I drew back, gasping for air, because apparently, according to my lungs, I needed it, but according to my lips, it wasn't really necessary. But the moment I did, we froze, breathing deeply as it hit me what I was doing.

_Holy crap._

I was just kissing Logan. Holy crap. Oh my god. I slid my fingers out of his hair and he jerked back, getting off me fast. I stared at him, wide eyed, and he stalked to the car before I could read his expression. I lay there, breathing deeply before getting up and blinking, trying to clear my fuzzy head. What was I doing before…?

I spotted the sunflower. Oh, that's just great. My first kiss was with my teacher, in a cemetery, on the anniversary of my brother's death.

I was so messed up.

* * *

><p><strong>HELLO!<strong>

**Okay, so yeah, that took a while to upload, but I got a little stuck. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**In response to rachelangelx-men who wanted them to kiss; here it is. I hope you liked it :)**

**Please Review and let me know what you think! **

**And thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, holy crap it was touching how supportive you are of this story. Thank you so much!**


	16. Chapter 16

I cleaned up the mess I made absentmindedly, my mind completely preoccupied by a different train of thought.

Jesus Christ, I had serious issues, I mean, I must have because normal people don't go around kissing their teachers, and they shouldn't enjoy it. But Holy Crap it was an amazing kiss. He was an amazing kisser; he got my blood boiling with only a glance, in a way nobody and nothing else has ever done, he set my skin on fire with his eyes, and I would know because I can actually do that.

When I was around him, I acted different, I was more myself and so different to myself all at the same time. When I caught a glimpse of him, I wanted to throw caution to the wind and give propriety the finger, I wanted to set the rules about teacher-student interaction on fire and crush the idea of what was and wasn't appropriate about this situation. That wasn't me, and those feelings kind of freaked me out because they were so unlike me, so carefree, focused on my wants and the world be damned. But at the same time, somewhere deep inside me, it was so totally me, so what I wanted, a part of me I didn't know was there.

And I shouldn't think things like that, because the sensible, smart part of me was shouting at this new, carless and self-centred part, telling it to go back where it came from. Why was this so hard? Why couldn't I just _feel_ something for John or Kurt? Why did I have to want the person who I wasn't allowed to have?

A better question was; why did it feel like my life only just began when I had that premonition about Logan on his bike so many months ago?

I stared at Daniel's gravestone. "I think it was a mistake asking him to come along," I said. "I came here to be with you, and instead I spend it thinking about my off-limits teacher. At least all that fake crap is gone now."

I sat still, before turning to look at the car where Logan had stormed off to. But it was gone. "Well, what did I expect?" I whispered. We kissed. And it dawned on me, I didn't make the last move; I stopped just millimetres from his mouth. He could have moved away, but he didn't; he moved closer. Everything with him was so complicated.

I turned back to the gravestone, pushing those thoughts aside. Today was Daniel's day and he deserved my full attention. I didn't know what I believed about what happened to us after death, but for Daniel's sake I hoped there was a heaven, an eternal paradise, because it's what he deserved.

I begin to tell him of Charles Xavier's school, how everyone there was just like us, how the people were so nice, how I could learn in and environment that was welcoming, how I made friends who were amazing; mischievous and meddlesome Jubes, tough, strong Rogue, and sweet, excitable Kitty.

"I'm doing well at school; I'm taking a lot of subjects, and I think I want to stay on and teach there, but I'll have to get a teaching degree first. I'm training to be an X-Men, well, Logan's training me. I wish you could be here, you'd make so many friends at the school, and you wouldn't have to be around her." I sighed sadly, "I miss your laugh. I miss your smile."

I sat there for a long time. Lunch time came and went, but I wasn't hungry. Even if I was, I had no way of getting anywhere to get food in the first place. The sun was getting lower.

"My life is…complicated right now. I have a thing, this, stupid, annoying connection to my teacher, my very attractive teacher, and I can't shake it. He makes me feel…so…weird, Danny, I can't explain it properly, but I wish I could because it's driving me insane," I said quietly. I'd like to think he was listening and watching over me. Maybe he could help me out.

I sat there for a while longer, staring at the grey stone.

When I look up, the car is there again and I glance at my watch. Almost four o'clock. Wow. Time really passes quickly. I stood up, giving the tombstone one last look before heading back towards the car and getting in. neither of us said anything. In fact, I'd be willing to bet Logan was wiping the memory from his mind.

My stomach gave a loud rumble and Logan said, "Drive through."

I nodded, giving him directions to the nearest one. He ordered a lot of food, only a third of which was for me, and he expertly managed to both eat and drive. When we passed the entrance to the massive estate area I lived in, I scowled, realising that my mum hadn't gone to visit him at all in the time I'd been there.

The trip home was silent, neither of us said anything. By the time we got home, I was tired and exhausted and I just wanted to sleep. When Logan pulled up to a stop, he cleared his throat, "Uh, about tha –," I knew where he was going, it was clear in his uncomfortable demeanour, and the guilt rolling off him in waves and I cut him off.

"Don't worry about it." I closed the door and walked up to my room. People were walking and talking and laughing and I walked past them all, falling into my bed and trying to fall asleep immediately. If given time, there were too many things I'd end up thinking about and then I'd never get to sleep.

Slowly, very slowly, I drifted into sleep.

….

The following weekend, Jubes shook me awake, grinning at me with barely supressed excitement. "What?" I asked groggily.

"We're officially ungrounded," she said.

I stared at her, 'You woke me up for that?" I asked, irritated.

"No, I woke you up because we're going shopping to celebrate," she said, her body vibrating with happiness. It floated over to, swirling around me, attempting to affect me with it, but I pushed away. I was glad I didn't have to see Lacey every second day, and Monday night patrols were really starting to get to me. It was awkward between Kurt and myself, and we avoided each other.

"Jubes, I don't know if I'm up t -," She cut me off.

"But that's just it! This will totally help!"

"Help you, maybe," I said. "But I - ,"

She cut me off again, "So, let me get this straight, you think you'll feel better after spending the whole day moping about rather than spending time with people who care about you, doing something fun? Is that it?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips and glaring. I frowned, not liking how much sense she made this early in the morning. "Get your butt off that bed and pull yourself together."

"Now, hang on a second, I'm perfectly - ,"

She cut me off again!

"How many times have I told you not to lie to me?"

"Jubilee," I said in warning. "You've got to stop doing that."

"What?" she asked, puzzled.

"Cutting me of - ,"

"You mean like this?" she grinned, before grabbing my arm and hauling me up, shoving me towards the shower. "You stink, by the way." Just before she closed the door, she sobered up, looking at me seriously, "If you want to talk, you know we'll listen, right?"

I smiled, nodding, "Thanks Jubes."

"No problem. Seriously though, you stink," and she was back.

I showered quickly and we left, Jubes practically speeding down the roads in her excitement, ignoring my protests and demands to slow down. Windows rolled down, music blasting, my hair whipped around my head and I smiled. Okay, so this was fun, and definitely better than moping around.

But my gut squirmed and I felt guilty for enjoying myself. Jubes looked over at me as I frowned out the window.

"You're allowed to have fun," she told me.

"I know," I sighed.

"Then smile and at least pretend you're having fun so I feel better," she said and I smiled, rolling my eyes. "That's better."

She pulled into the carpark and we got out. I mentally prepared myself for a day with Jubes. It was just before lunch when Jubes spotted it. She stopped walking in the idle of the crowded walkway, and people grumbled as the had to quickly swerve to avoid her.

"Oh my God! Chicas!" She said, her eyes wide.

"What?" I asked, wondering if something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Kitty asked.

Rogue shoved us to the side as someone brushed past us, annoyed at our blocking the flow of traffic, and she glared at him. Jubes then started hyperventilating and she lifted a hand, pointing.

"There's a Victoria Secret sale!" she squealed and I followed her line of vision over to the shop that had women packed in tighter than a can of sardines. She grabbed us, dragging us forward, "Come on, come on!"

We had no choice but to follow as she shoved us into the already crowded shop. It was nearing its maximum capacity and as I looked around, my cheeks heated at all the intimates hanging around. "Jubes, this isn't really my kind of shop," I told her and she hushed me.

Victoria Secret was not for the faint of heart; all the lace and bright colour was intimidating as hell, then add in the pictures of perfect models wearing it and you had a recipe to make me want to run away as fast as possible.

"Nonsense! This is every woman's kind of shop!" she said, seeming to sense my desire to run and grabbing my arm to hold me still, right as a woman with the darkest skin I'd ever seen and the widest smile I'd ever seen walked up to us and introduced herself.

"I'm Marissa, can I help you?"

"No, I'm - ," I began, only to, low and behold, be cut off again.

Okay, she really had to stop doing that, "Yes! I love sales!"

"Anything in particular you're looking for?" She smiled at Jubes' enthusiasm.

"Please," Jubes grinned. "I know what I'm doing and so does she," she gestured at Kitty who was inspecting some sort of folded piece of material the colour of pink roses. "My friends, however," she said, placing her hands on my shoulders and nodding at Rogue, both of us looking uncomfortable. "Need some help."

"Jubes," I began.

"Virgins," she said, ignoring my warning tone. "At lingerie."

I wanted to slap myself on the forehead. No, actually, I wanted to slap Jubes on the forehead and when I glanced at Rogue, she looked like she wanted to do the same thing.

"Well," Marissa grinned, nodding at Jubes like she understood. "How about I take your measurements and I'll bring you some stuff?"

"Colourful stuff. With lace," Jubes instructed and the lady nodded, seeming to agree. I was so out of my depth here.

"Uh," Rogue said, for the first time since I'd met her, sounding a little panicked. "I already know my size." Right. This lady couldn't touch her skin.

"Great, tell me what it is and I'll get some things for you too," Marissa said, clapping her hands together and looking like she was about to have a whole load of fun. She led us to changing rooms.

With Rogue's and my measurements in mind, she left, bringing back just what Jubes instructed; colourful and lacy things.

Two hours later we left the shop after I'd bought four bras and matching panties at Jubes urging. She herself, bought an outrageous amount, Kitty and Rogue also buying a set or two themselves. Marissa had been very helpful, and she had to be one of the nicest shop assistants I'd ever met, understanding just what I meant when I tried to explain what I did or didn't like and bringing me some very nice things. I'd even ventured out myself and, with only a little bit of help from Marissa and a lot of cajoling from Jubes, picked out something myself. Not bad for a first time buyer of lingerie.

Truthfully, I'd liked what I'd bought; it made me feel lighter, older, sexier, and I had a ridiculously wide smile plastered on my face, but that didn't stop the red from colouring my cheeks every time someone looked our way and saw the bags.

Unsurprisingly, Jubes bought a few dresses and tops from other boutiques in what she deemed was appropriate in celebration of becoming un-grounded. I wondered how her credit card was going to recover.

She permitted us time to eat without much complaint, surprisingly. It must have been the sale. It was late afternoon when we returned for the mansion, pulling up on the gravel driveway in front of the garage. It would be easier to take out our bags as the garage was rather cramped and Jubes would lose it if we dented or scratched her car.

I got out stretching as they grabbed their bags, waiting for them to move. I sat down on the gravel, rubbing at my sore feet, even though I'd worn comfortable shoes, they ached. Jubes threw the keys at me, "Lock it when you're done, yeah?"

"Okay," I said, just as Logan ran past, on a run. He was doing a lot of running lately.

"Hey Wolvie?" She called.

He paused, almost against his instinct, growling at her use of the nickname she's come up with, "What do yah want?"

"Could you give Thea a hand with her bags?" she asked sweetly, innocently before walking for the door, following Rogue and Kitty. I frowned at her and so did Logan as he cautiously walked to the trunk. And then it hit me and I jumped up.

"No!" I said, panicked and blushing as he saw what was in the boot. A couple bags with the words 'Victoria Secret' written across the side. My cheeks heated even further, worse than when we were at the shops as his jaw clenched and he looked over at me, his eyes travelling up my body, heating my body, my whole face pink.

I cursed myself because the blush was a big giveaway that inside the bags wasn't just some pyjamas of bathrobes, or any of the other harmless items they sold. There was no way he could not know what was in there. He cleared his throat and I blurted out the only thing I could think of when I really should have just shut up.

"There was a sale. Jubes dragged me," I said weakly. He didn't say anything and I brushed past where he seemed to be frozen solid, unmoving, grabbing the bags and shutting the boot. He still didn't move and I looked at my feet. "Would you just forget what you saw?" I asked.

When he didn't reply, I looked up at his face, his dark coal eyes intense, holding me still as they drifted from my eyes to my lips. He swallowed, his voice thick, "I don't think I can." I tensed and he seemed to shake himself, "Fuck, I mean yeah," and he turned around, picking up his pace and running away from me.

When I made it to our room, I threw the keys at Jubes, who plucked them daintily out of the air, speaking before I could. "Let me guess. You hate me?"

"Yes," I said, putting away my new clothes and refusing to look at her as she laughed.

…

Finally, our holidays were coming up.

It felt like forever since I'd had a break and I was so looking forward to sleeping in every day.

I just had to make it through one more week. One more week of tense training sessions as Logan tried his best to teach me without going near me. I was getting much better; in fact, I was getting very good, and that was only in physical fights – I had yet to factor my power into a fight. No one was going to stand a chance against me.

After the holidays, we were going to have another danger room session before I was officially a part of the X-Men and could participate on Saturday morning training sessions and missions. I was kind of nervous for it.

We planned to stay at the mansion for the holidays. Most of the younger kids were going home, happy to see their family; apparently, it was possible for a parent to look past the fact that their kids were mutants and still love them. Someone should have told my mum. I don't think she got the memo.

I was glad for them, but of course, this wasn't case for everyone, and so there were a few still staying at the mansion. Storm was in charge of the younger kids below the age of fifteen; to cook them meals and look after them, while the older kids were in charge of themselves, though the school rules still applied to us.

A lot of the teachers were taking the holidays as time to travel or spend time together or away from the school. I think they were just as excited for them as the kids were.

When the last bell rang on Friday afternoon, there was a loud uproar of excited shouts. Over the next few days, the number of people slowly dwindled down and late afternoon on the third day of our freedom, Jubes, Rogue, Kitty, Bobby, Colossus, Gambit, Kurt, John and I sat in the rec room, Rogue and Kitty versing Bobby and Colossus on the foosball table.

"We should have a movie marathon tonight!" Jubes suddenly exclaimed, sitting up straighter. There were nods of agreement. "Tonight, during diner, which Thea's making," she said and I gaped at her.

"Gee, thanks Jubes, way to volunteer me for myself," I said, rolling my eyes.

She shrugged, unperturbed, "It's your turn."

"Whatever," I shook my head.

"We should make a list of things to do this holiday's," she suggested.

"I want to go to the zoo," Kitty said, sending the ball flying down the other end with a sharp turn of her wrist.

"Oh my God," Jubes said, slapping a hand over her mouth, eyes lighting up and I was suddenly hit with an image of bottles of alcohol. I knew where she was going. "Let's have a party!"

"Yes!" John said, suddenly far more interested in the conversation. "Tomorrow night, in the woods. I'll get the music down there, and we can party after everyone's in bed!"

"Um," I said, frowning, and looking at them, my voice taking on a sardonic tone, "You do remember what happened last time?"

Gambit nodded, "Ah, but mon petit ami, last time we went to a club. Dis time, we're not leaving de grounds, and de Professor won't be here," he said, pointing out the fact that the Professor was also going somewhere he wouldn't say. The only professors left were Storm, Warren and Logan.

"We'd still be breaking this school rules," I pointed out.

"Rules, scmools," Jubes said, waving my objections off. "It's the holidays and it's not as if we'd be in any danger, which is what the rules were put there to do in the first place; protect us and all. It'll be fun. You know you'll have fun," she cajoled and I rolled my eyes.

_I have a plan to get the alcohol, _Jubes thought at me. I raised an eyebrow at her. _Tell the others._

_You do realise I'm not the only telepath here, right?_

_Yeah, but you have that shield thingy, so tell them._

I rolled my eyes at how demanding even her mental voice was and relayed the message, adding that personally, I didn't think she'd end up succeeding with whatever plan she'd come up with.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys!<strong>

**So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, though it was really only a filler chapter – nothing much happened, I guess. I'm thinking I'm probably about half-way, maybe a bit more through it. Let me know what you thought!**

**Oh, and I'm going to start putting replies to reviews at the end of each chapter, so thank you so much to those who reviewed and favourited and followed!**

**XxLostInTheMusicxX****: **Yes, they finally kiss! They've been dancing around it for a while, huh? Anyway, I'm glad you like the story so far and thought her reaction was sad – I felt sad writing it! -, and thank you so much for reviewing previous chapters as well!

**wolfs rain lover123****: **Thank you so much! I'm glad you like this chapter, and her emotions :) I'd love to check out your story, but I can't seem to find that author name. Are you sure it's moonacre43?

**Guest: **Bahaha! Thank you! I'm so glad you like it! I hope you like this chapter too!

**Through Jaded Eyes: **Thank you Thank you Thank you :D It makes me happy to know people really want to read more of Logan and Thea!

**Vampireheart410:** Haha, thank you, but I don't know if I'd call it 'Super Hot' (I'm very doubtful of what I write) but thank you for saying (writing) so, it's really nice of you! Hopefully either the next chapter or the one after that (I'm not sure which yet) you'll think is just as 'Hot'!

**Souffl3girl:** Yeah, they kissed! Finally! Took them long enough, I mean seriously, it took them 15 chapters! Okay, so maybe it took _me_ 15 chapters to write it, but still! Anyway, thank you so much, I'm ecstatic that you love my story so far, and hopefully you liked this chapter just as much, though truthfully it was sort of a filler chapter!

**Ayame Chiyoko: **Thank you so much! I hope this chapter wasn't too much of a disappointment then, considering hardly anything happened! Thanks for taking the time to review!

**Ahsilaa:** Haha, thank you! Glad you like it! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**So, yeah, please review and let me know what you think! I take Constructive Criticism very well, and I'd really appreciate the feedback, especially to know what parts you did and didn't like so I know what to add more of :D.**

**Thanks again to those who are already supporting this story! Thank you!**


	17. Chapter 17

Okay, so I had to admit I was impressed. Jubilee had somehow managed to sneak a whole lot of alcohol into the school, though I suppose at the moment it wouldn't be hard to bring it on the school grounds with the resident telepaths and the majority of the student body gone. I just wondered how she bought the stuff when she certainly wasn't twenty one.

We'd scouted the spot where we were going to go this morning, while Jubilee was out, and found a clearing that had a fire pit in the middle and a couple logs around it. I guess we weren't the first ones to think of it. John was in charge of music, Jubes was on alcohol, Rogue and Kurt were both on look out to make sure no one caught on to our plan, Colossus was in charge of moving the fold out tables and chairs stored in the cupboard in the garage and Bobby and Kitty were in charge of getting bottles of coke and any other non-alcoholic drinks and I was on fire duty, seeing as I could light things on fire. I'd pointed out that John could also do this, but apparently, he was on music, so it was up to me to keep the fire going and making sure it doesn't spread or anything.

I contemplated my reflection in the mirror, debating whether I'd put makeup on or not. I'd just decided against it when Jubes forced eyeliner and mascara on me, before colouring my lips a bright red. It was the same colour as my dress, which I bought when we went shopping. It had a low scoop neckline, exposing a little cleavage, before the straps crossed over at the back and the material flowed out looser, to just above my knees.

Kitty had a deep green dress that had a deep V neckline, Jubilees had a black, strapless dress with tiny specks of glitter on it, that flared out at her hips in layers, and Rogue actually had a dress on too; it was a light, baby blue colour that had bits of ribbon twisting and crossing around the material, pulling it close to her body. She paired it with stockings and a thin cardigan in a darker shade of blue.

It was easy to get out when everyone else was in bed. That, and we weren't as closely patrolled considering it was the holidays. The moon was almost completely full, giving off plenty of light to be able to see the ground and avoid protruding roots. Every now and then, there was a soft clink as a bottle hit another. When we got there, they were already there as well, and John started playing music, thumping, dancing, party music that snuck its way into your body and made you want to move to its beat. But I didn't know how to dance, so I didn't.

"Yeeaahh!" Kitty said, grinning and bopping her head to the beat.

"Let's get this party started," Jubes said. "Ah, I've always wanted to say that."

Gambit let out a whistle as he walked over, helping Jubes by taking the bags she was holding and looking her over, "Mon amour, you be looking fine."

Jubes let out a giggle, rolling her eyes and grabbing a plastic cup and pouring herself the first drink of the night, mixing together coke and vodka and taking a sip. The others followed suit and I walked over to the fire pit, adding some smaller twigs and dried leaves after colossus dropped a couple larger logs on it.

Cupping my hands together, I closed my eyes, thinking about the fire, imagining it in my hands, heating up; the blood flowing through my veins, right under my skin, got hotter and hotter, not so it was uncomfortable or unbearable, but almost pleasant, soothing, warm but very very intensely hot. When I opened my eyes, it was there; a ball of dancing, leaping flames.

It was mesmerising almost, and for a second, I just watched it, not entirely sure I wanted to part with it. I spread my fingers, watching it wrap around them, coating my hand in it. I smiled and almost laughed, the way the fire moved, the raging danger right underneath it, made me feel stronger. Suddenly the flames leaped higher and I was reminded how temperamental fire was, how it wanted to destroy, burn up, digest everything in its path. It just so happened to like me, listen to me, if only because I could control it. If I couldn't, it wouldn't hesitate to burn me too. I could feel it testing me, testing the boundaries, trying to lick its way up my arms higher than what I let it, it sang to me and I heard it's desire, how it wanted to leap across to the dried leaves and the trees around us, to turn them to ash and keep moving along, higher, hotter, burning it all to the ground, until there was nothing left to burn.

I sometimes forgot just how dangerous it could be.

I placed my hands onto the wood, shifting it from my skin, moving it across before encouraging the flames to leap higher, get hotter. The wood crackled and I moved my hands away, and standing up, Rogue handing me a vodka and coke. I took a mouthful, scrunching my face up at the strong, almost overpowering volume of vodka. I raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged.

"Jubes," was all she said and I rolled my eyes.

"I should have realised. I'm pretty sure about half of this is vodka," I said lightly, drinking another mouthful.

And then Kitty came barrelling through, grabbing my and Rogue's arms, swinging us around and commanding us to dance. I extricated myself from her, but she grabbed me again, "Kitty, I don't know how to dance!"

"Neither do I!" she grinned over the thumping music, "Just move your feet. Like this," she shifted her weight from foot to foot, then added a little shimmy, widening her steps and dancing her way around the fire. When she made it back to me and Rogue, who wasn't looking and was instead eyeing Colossus as he stood back, drinking from a cup. She wandered off, leaving me.

"I can't do that, I'll look like an idiot," I said, shaking my head.

"Who is there to impress?" she asked and I frowned.

"Good point," I conceded.

"Thank you. Now dance with me," she commanded, swinging us around and I tried repeating her moves from before, but they felt stiff and awkward, so I shook my head, removing myself from her grip, heading to Jubes who was talking with Remy and pouring herself a drink. When she saw me, she shoved a shot towards me.

"I don't think so," I laughed, rolling my eyes.

"Come on, live a little Thea. You're so serious and tight-laced all the time," she said.

"Am not!"

"Okay, maybe not all the time, but seriously, we're on school grounds, during the holidays, just having a little fun. No seedy bar, no seedy lurking guys," she shoved the small glass of clear liquid towards me again. "We're completely safe."

I pursed my lips, before lifting it up. One shot couldn't hurt, I suppose. I downed it quickly, gagging, "Jubes, that tastes disgusting!"

She shrugged, "I never said you drink it for the taste."

But I wasn't focusing on her, instead on the burning sensation on my throat. I poured some coke into a glass, quickly drinking that to help with the burn and taste. When I was half-way through, Jubes grabbed it, pouring some amber liquid from a Jack Daniels bottle. I sipped it cautiously and decided I preferred it over the vodka. It had a much more pleasant taste to it.

My neck and cheeks were heating up from the alcohol as a thumping, damnably catchy song sounded out. I knew this song, though for the life of me, I couldn't remember who sang it or what it was called. A lot of it was in another language, and even though I had no idea what they were saying, I could still sing along.

And suddenly it seemed like a very good idea to just dance, move my feet in time with the song, sing the foreign words and move my body. The beat wound its way through my body and it no longer mattered that I didn't know how to dance, or that I'd look like an idiot. My body was warm from the alcohol and it encouraged me to spin and jump and twist and shake further. Kitty and Jubilee joined in, laughing at my enthusiasm, and when I beckoned at Rogue she came over as well.

From that point on, the linear constancy of time got a little blurry. I was drinking and dancing, and dancing and laughing and then drinking again. Time didn't feel like it passed in the same way as usual and I put it down to the alcohol.

Considering I'd never had a drink before, I thought I was doing pretty good until I stumbled and fell. The world spun and I realised for the first time all night that I was tipsy, bordering on drunk. Even in my inebriated state, I could tell. Pulling myself up, I wandered over to Jubes and Remy, who were making out sloppily. I scrunched my nose up in distaste, but tugged on her arm.

Her eyes were somewhat unfocused when she turned to me. "I'm not drunk," she snapped at me, before I even said anything, and then, as if to prove her point further, she clumsily poured herself another shot and downed it before I could muster enough sense to stop her. I bit my lip to stop the giggle slipping out my lips, though I wasn't really sure why I found it funny.

"Jubes," I shook my head and quickly regretted it when the world spun. "Jubes, I think _I'm_ drunk," I frowned, not entirely sure.

She looked at me a moment before grinning and shouting out, "Thea popped her drinking cherry!"

"Jubes," I said as she poured another shot and handed it to me.

"This will help," she gestured to the drink and I looked at it doubtfully. "Trust me."

I looked at her, saw the smudged makeup, the sweat on her brow and upper lip, the unfocused eyes, the way she gripped onto Remy as if she was afraid her legs wouldn't hold her. "No thanks."

"Suit yourself," then she drank it too.

I wandered over to Kitty, who was talking with Bobby and John. I tapped her arm and she turned to me, squinting as she searched my face before abruptly up turning her cup of cool liquid onto my foot.

"Kitty!" I said, jumping back, grateful I had taken my shoes off before to dance.

"What?" she asked innocently, her voice slightly higher and more childlike. "You looked dehydrated. That way, the water will soak up your body and you'll be un-dehydrated."

I looked at her, "Thanks Kitty."

"You're welcome," she grinned at me hugely.

"Dance with me," John said, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from them as another dance song sounded out. I grinned, giving in, and we danced, making it into a competition as to who could come up with the stupidest dance move. We were laughing by the end and we collapsed to the ground near the fire, our arms leaning against each other in our mirth.

Then he sobered up as he watched the dancing flames, encouraging them to leap higher, "Why don't you like me like that?" he asked seriously. I frowned at the change from a second ago.

"I…" what was I supposed to say to that?

"Is it because of Kurt? Because you know if you like him, it's okay. I won't be mad. I want you to be happy," he said, still watching the flames, and I realised alcohol made John sweet and affectionate, it made Rogue aggressive, it made Jubilee somewhat defensive and clingy, and it made Kitty emotional and giving. I had yet to figure out the others though. Or myself.

"John…You're sweet…and one day you'll find the person you're meant to be with…but it's not me…and I don't have feelings for Kurt like that…" my sentences were punctuated by long stares at the starry sky, because my mind felt cloudy as I tried to think and concentrate, and suddenly a wistful sort of calm came over me.

"Thanks Thea. You're a great friend," he said, before losing balance and falling backwards. He didn't move, just stared at the sky like I had been, "Wow, the sky is pretty. Did you know that? The sky is pretty."

"Yeah, John," I agreed. "It's really pretty."

"I'm going to get ana…" he frowned as he stumbled slightly over the word, "another drink. Do you want one?" he asked.

"No thanks John," I told him as he sat up, pulling himself to his feet.

As soon as he left, Jubes, Kitty and Rogue sat down at once, and even in my slightly oblivious state, I knew something was up.

"Chica," Jubes said, "You know we're your best friends?"

I nodded quickly, then regretted it again, "Yeah!"

She pointed accusingly at me, "Then why are you keeping secrets from us?" she demanded.

"I'm not keeping secrets!" I defended, crossing my arms.

"Are too," Kitty said stubbornly, her face slightly sad, her eyes slightly wet, "Don't you trust us?"

"Of course I trust you!"

"Then why won't you tell us whatever it is?" Rogue growled and I smiled at how eerily close it was to Logan's growl. And then I realised what they were talking about. But I couldn't tell them that. There were just some secrets a girl keeps to herself, especially if they involve a teacher, and kissing said teacher in a deserted cemetery and –

"I kissed Logan," I confessed before slapping a hand over my mouth. Alcohol, I realised, made one truthful as it got rid of our inhibitions. Damnit.

Jubes shouted "I knew it!", Kitty gaped at me, her eyes bugging out of her head and Rogue gasped, somewhat belated, like the full meaning of my words only just hit her.

The first thing Jubes asked was; "How was it?"

I groaned, shoving at her, and she fell backwards, "I don't wanna talk about it!"

"Oh, _come on!_ You have to spill the beans," Kitty said before giggling, "Spilling the beans," she snickered, like the idea of spilling beans was hilarious.

"No I don't," I said defiantly just as Jubes managed to sit upright. "I kissed him, well, actually, I think he kissed me, in a freaking cemetery! How messed up is that?"

"Wait, _he_ kissed _you_," Jubes asked.

I frowned, "I think so but I don't remember."

They were silent, "Oh, God, you're all having one of those moments where you're thinking the same thing, right?" I asked.

They looked at each other, "Well, spit it out, whatever it is you want to say."

"No, it's just…" Kitty began.

"Well, it's _you_," Rogue said.

"Right, now that that's all cleared up," I muttered sarcastically.

"No, we mean, technically, he's your teacher and what he did was illegal and he was taking advantage of you," Rogue said.

"No he wasn't!" I defended. "I wanted him to kiss me. I instigated it!"

"_But_," Kitty said, to get my attention and stop me from getting angry and defensive.

"But it's _you_ chica, and you're you," Jubes said, like that explains everything. "You're the last person who would get involved with a teacher, and you're naive and innocent enough to believe whatever that teacher says."

"Now hang on a second," I began, getting angry again.

"_But_," Kitty said again, to let me know they weren't done.

"But the teacher is Logan," Rogue said.

"And he'd be the last person to get involved with a student," Jubes continued.

"Look, he probably didn't even mean to kiss me," I said.

Rogue slapped me across the face and for a second I was more stunned than hurt, "Wake up Thea!"

"What did you do that for?" I shouted, tears jumping to my eyes at the stinging pain.

"Because, for someone so smart, you're really dumb!"

"Hey!" I cried indignantly. "I'm not dumb."

Jubes flopped back on the ground, "I give up." Then she hiccupped, and it served to remind me they were drunk. Whatever they said was essentially the ramblings of drunk women.

I stood up and they followed, stumbling slightly. "Stop following me."

"But-"

Jubes cut Kitty off, "Uh-oh."

"What?" I quizzed.

"I have to pee."

"But you can't!" Kitty said. "If you go once, you'll have to go a million times!" she was so dramatic.

"Plus, you'll have to go all the way back to the mansion, and then we'll probably get caught," Rogue pointed out.

"Yah already are," a gruff voice said behind her as Logan walked forward, his arms crossed over his chest, his face looking like he was sick of chasing up on us.

Irrationally, I found this situation very funny, though I wasn't sure why. Must be the alcohol.

"Fuck," John said, taking another shot.

"Don't fucking swear you fucking fuck," Rogue told him. I burst into giggles. Swearing was actually kind of funny.

"Oh no, please don't be mad," Kitty said, her eyes getting wet again.

"I really have to pee," Jubes said.

I tried desperately to calm myself as Logan's shoulders got tenser and tenser. "What is with yah kids?" he growled. "Why can't yah just wait till yah twenty one?"

"Oh!" Jubes said, anger beginning to lace her voice, "That's so rich coming from –hic - from – hic – from you!" she said around a burst of hiccups, pointing a menacing finger at him and taking a step forward, stumbling slightly. He just raised an eyebrow at her. "Mr High And Mighty above the rules, huh? What about – "

I slapped a hand over her mouth to get her to shut up, "Quit it Jubes, you're not helping." I wasn't sure if she was going to mention the kiss, but either way I couldn't let her finish insulting him.

"Oh, yeah, sure, stick up for him," Rogue growled at me and my eyes widened.

"Hang on a second, I'm not – "

"Save it!" She snapped.

"Oh," Kitty said, clearing getting upset, "Please don't fight! Please!"

And things were spiralling downwards. Everything was all great when no one was around, no one in an authoritative position. As soon as someone tried to tell Rogue what to do, she got angry, and things go from fine to terrible in a matter of seconds. She really didn't like being told what to do, especially if she didn't want to do it. Maybe this was why we should wait until we're twenty one before drinking. Clearly we just can't handle it.

"Stop blubbering like a baby!" Rogue rolled her eyes. Yeah, and she got nasty. Like it didn't matter anymore who she was pissed at; she was just taking it out on everyone. I had no idea how she did a complete three-sixty like that.

"Rogue!" I said, my voice slightly reprimanding, because if I went full out, things would only get worse.

"I'm not a baby!" Kitty said, her voice getting higher.

"Yes you are! You're a big baby!"

"Enough," Logan snapped, pulling them out of their fight. "All of yah, back to yer rooms! Yah can clean this up tomorrow."

"You can't tell us what to do!" Rogue shouted, "It's the holidays! We're allowed to have fun!"

"Rogue…" Colossus began, clearly seeing the alcohol take effect on her. "Let's just do what he says," he cajoled.

"No!" she said, "He just likes telling us what to do! We're not doing anything wrong!" she pouted, crossing her arms, "I'm not going anywhere."

"All of yah!" Logan growled menacingly, "Get to yer rooms before I count to three!"

Remy grabbed Jubes, pulling her with him as he took off for the mansion, Kurt hot on his heels. Kitty squeaked, backing away to follow them with Bobby, and John waked past, acting tough, like he wasn't intimidated, but under Logan's intensely threatening eyes, his walk quickly sped up to a run.

"Rogue…" Colossus tried again.

"No!" she crossed her arms attempting to stare Logan down.

"Anna Marie Darkholme, you get your ass up to our room right now," I told her, leaving no room in my voice for negotiation. "We have been drinking while underage, which is illegal, on school grounds, which technically means we've been doing something wrong, so get moving missy."

She grumbled before turning on her heel and walking towards the mansion, Colossus right beside her. Wow, I can't believe she just listened to me. When she was out of hearing range, I snickered, "Wow, I totally just sounded like a mum. Not my mum, but someone else's mum. Can you believe that? She even listened! I can't wait to be a mother. I love kids; I want at least five…" I trailed off when I saw Logan looking at me incredulously.

"Yer drunk," he stated, but underneath his disapproving frown were the lines of amusement. Though I wasn't exactly a reliable face-reader right now.

"No, I've just had a lot to drink," I said, impressed with my own logic. Really, it made complete sense, and it didn't sound quite so bad as saying I was drunk.

"I thought yah were tha responsible one."

"I am," I agreed, a little confused. "You know, that was a statement, not a sentence or a question, and I'm a little confused about it; what do you want me to say?"

His lips were in a firm, straight line, but more than anything it looked like he was trying to hold back a grin, "Yah can hear it in yer voice."

"Hear what in my voice?" I frowned. "A voice?" I started to laugh, "You can't hear a voice in my voice, that makes no sense!"

"Yer head's gunna be hurtin' tomorrow," he said, his voice almost a smirk.

"But I'm not drunk," I frowned.

"Uh-huh," he said, like he was placating me, and I opened my mouth to reply when he changed the subject, throwing me off. "That fire needs ta be put out."

"Roger that Capitan," I giggled, walking over to it. I stuck my hand into the middle of the fire suddenly, just to see what would happen.

"Thea!"

"Relax," I said, pulling my un-burnt arm back out and showing him. "Fire doesn't burn me. I control it, remember?"

He crossed his arms again and I turned back to the fire, putting my hand back in the middle. Concentrating, I called on the fire to leap to my skin, to leave the wood it was slowly turning to ash, with promises that we could play, that we could move away from the contained fire pit and into the much more open, uncontained woods. When I began to lessen the flames, forcing it down, it rebelled, calling out atrocities and obscenities, angry I had tricked it, until all the flames were gone. It felt like they had just moved to under my skin as my veins burned from the heat, pulsing through my body. It felt kind of like the vodka when you drank it, and it burned your throat, except all over your body.

"Get ta yer room," Logan commanded and I sighed, getting up. I swayed slightly but continued on, walking through the woods, Logan not far behind me. I felt his presence on my skin, prickling it, aware of him, of how close he was, how alone we were.

I tripped on a root or a rock, I wasn't sure, but I didn't hit the ground, because Logan was there, gripping me, stopping my fall, "Thanks."

"Yer welcome," he replied gruffly. I bit my lip.

"Why did you kiss me?" I asked unexpectedly. I didn't even remember thinking about asking him.

He took a step back, letting me go after making sure my legs could support me. His face closed off. "Get ta yer room," was his answer and I sighed, walking forward.

"Why?" I persisted as I walked, watching closely for rocks and roots, careful not to lean my head too far forward in case I lost my balance and plummeted face first into the dirt.

"Thea," he said exasperatedly.

"I just want to know! Okay? You kissed me! You freaking kissed me, so sorry if I'm a bit confused here, you know, what with being your _student_ and all! Can you blame me for asking?"

With each word he was clamming up, his lips pressing into a thin line, "It shouldn't ta happened."

"But it did. And I know I said not to worry about it, but I lied! I'm a liar, so sue me! I'm a horrible horrible liar and I'm probably going to hell, but at least it'll be warm." I winced, "My head hurts."

"You're drunk," he snorted. Vaguely, I knew he was throwing me off the current topic I was pressing, but I didn't care; I had to defend myself to him.

"No, I'm not! I just…"

"Had a lot ta drink," he smirked.

"Exactly," I replied, seeing the mansion come into view. "Good to hear we're on the same page."

"Uh-huh. Sure. Now get yah ass into bed."

I rolled my eyes, "If I were Jubes, I'd probably say something like 'Do you like my ass seeing as you brought it up?', but I'm not, so I'll just say good night."

He blinked at me, and for a moment I saw surprise on his face. It was quickly replaced though, and I turned around, walking into the massive building.

Getting up the stairs was tricky, but I had the balustrade to hang on to. When I made it to my room, they were snoring, the light still on. I had no idea how they just slipped off like that when only a few minutes ago they were drinking.

But then I saw my bed and stopped dead. All over the sheets was vomit. My own gag reflex kicked in and I nearly threw up too. What the hell? I looked at Jubes suspiciously; this was probably her doing. How could they all sleep like that when the smell was slowly wafting around the room? Now that I was aware of the vomit, I had no idea how I missed the smell. I think I was going to be sick myself. There was obviously no way I was sleeping in here.

There was no way I was cleaning that up.

I sighed, turning around, and heading back out. Looked like I was sleeping in the rec room, on one of the chairs. My hand gripped the railing as I went down a couple steps.

"Where do yah think yer goin'?" a voice growled out, scaring me half to death and making me jump out of my skin. I stumbled on the stair, and I'd probably be falling down all of them if I wasn't holding onto the railing.

"Jesus Christ!" I shouted, collapsing onto the stair as Logan walked forward, frowning at me. "You want to give me a heart attack?"

He just looked at me, like the answer was obvious. "Where do yah think yer goin'?" he repeated.

It took a couple more seconds to get my heart rate to slow down. I leant back against the railing, having to tilt my head back to be able to see him from my spot on the steps almost half way down. "They vomited on my bed. It's really gross. I'm not cleaning it up. I'm tired and I want to sleep on the chair downstairs, in the rec room."

"Yah can't sleep on tha chair, it's no good fer yer back," he said.

I looked at him, aghast and totally grossed out, "Well I'm not sleeping on the vomit!"

In that moment, he looked like he wanted to slap himself on the forehead, "No, I mean, sleep on someone else's bed."

"I can't do that," I frowned. "I can't sleep on someone's bed, someone I don't know, that weird…I know! I can sleep in John's room. He won't mind!"

"I'm sure," he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Yer not sleepin' in his room."

"What about Kurt?"

"What about him?" he growled threateningly, and sober-me would have realised that was an answer in itself, but it didn't really register so I just glossed over it, moving on.

"I could sleep in his room," I replied innocently.

"No," he replied adamantly, jaw clenching.

I frowned a minute, "Colossus? Remy? Bobby?"

"No," he growled, getting irritated, though it wasn't my fault. I wasn't trying to intentionally annoy him.

"Then the chair it is," I said. "Don't worry, the chair won't mind. We're on good terms with each other."

He sighed, running a hand harshly through his hair, and he looked up at the ceiling, "Why are yah doin' this ta me?"

I laughed and turned my head, "He's talking to the ceiling," I said before realising there was no one beside me to tell in the first place, so really I was talking to air. I looked back over, my neck flopping, not having enough strength of its own to hold my head upright. Logan was looking at me with a raised eyebrow, "What did the ceiling do to you?" I asked seriously, genuinely curious to know what it had done to him to make him so annoyed. Maybe it hadn't been me after all who was making him angry, maybe it was actually the ceiling.

"Come on, get up, yer comin' with me," he growled impatiently. I went to get up, slipping slightly and not at all steady. I slowly fell back down onto the step and I looked at my legs.

"These don't seem to work anymore," I said calmly, like I could get them replaced. I looked at the steps around me, "But this step seems pretty comfortable, so I think I'll just sleep here."

He sighed, before walking purposely down the stairs and scooping me up. I let out a belated surprised gasp, but we were already heading up the next set of stairs that went to the third level where all the teachers were. Or, where they all would be if it weren't for the holidays.

That delicious smell of his swirled around my nose and I leaned in closer to him, taking a deep sniff. He looked down at me oddly and I smiled, "Have I ever told you that you smell amazing?"

"Uh…" he shifted me around slightly, though I didn't think it was because I was getting heavy for him, but more so because he seemed vaguely uncomfortable.

"Well, you do," I said, looking around. It was odd being carried; no one had carried me like this in years, not since I was a little kid. Logan didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat as he easily carried my weight up the stairs, his strong arms wrapped around me tightly. "It's…woodsy and fresh and masculine and sooo sexy."

He walked down the hallway to the end, "This is your room," I said stupidly as he pushed the door open.

"Nothing gets past yah, huh?" he grinned wolfishly and it was easy to see he was a feral.

"Nope, nothing. And I'm like a steel vault; you couldn't drag anything out of me with wild horses," I told him seriously as he gently placed me on the bed. I flopped back and he stood there, looking amused.

"Oh, really?"

I nodded, struggling to sit back up and failing, "Yep. Like, did you know that Kitty sometimes fantasises about other guys, you included I think, though she thinks Bobby is the guy she's going to marry? Or that Jubes thinks love is stupid and that lust, not love, goes with sex even though she's totally in love with Remy? Or that Rogue and Colossus want to have sex, but they can't because of Rogues mutation? Or that I really want you to kiss me again because there's something about you that makes me just not care about anything and I can't get you out of my head?" I fired the questions off at him and progressively got tenser, more uncomfortable. "Did you know any of that? Of course not, because I didn't tell you because I'm a steel vault…" I trailed off, feeling like I was missing something, but I quickly shrugged it off when the bathroom door slammed shut. I didn't even remember seeing Logan move.

When I didn't hear the sound of the shower or a toilet flush, I spoke up again, "Are you okay?"

No reply, then, "Fine." Short, brusque and probably not fine.

"Well, thank you for letting me sleep with you," I said.

There was a pause, "What?"

"Thank you for letting me sleep on your bed," I clarified.

"Right."

I rolled over, climbing my way up the bed further before using the headboard to drag myself up. I started to unzip my dress, slipping out of it just as Logan walked back out. He froze, staring at me, before abruptly turning around and facing the other way, "What are yah doin'?" he growled out exasperatedly.

"I can't wear that dress to bed silly, it'll be ruined," I told him, like it was obvious.

In quick, jerky movements, he opened a draw, grabbed at something before flinging it over his shoulder at me, still not turning around, "Put that on."

"Okay," I said easily, seeing no reason to fight with him about it. I lifted the thing he threw at me up, inspecting it; a large, worn flannel shirt buttoned down the front. I went to put it on, before suddenly feeling uncomfortable. I wasn't sure what the problem was, or what was making me feel restricted until I looked down. My bra. It was new, and while it looked amazing on, it wasn't the most comfortable thing to wear to sleep. Plus, it was really pretty and I didn't want to ruin it. I reached around to unhook it, but my arms wouldn't twist like that, and when I finally managed to push my arms into an awkward somewhat painful position, the hook seemed to be stuck. "Logan?"

He turned around, his eyes landing on my uncovered form, trailing down, lighting my body with fire, before he seemed to realise what he was doing, and snapped his eyes back up to mine. They seemed darker than usual. "I thought I told yah ta put that shirt on."

"I can't," I said.

"What do yah mean, yah can't?"

"I mean, my bra is stuck. Can you fix it?" I asked, shifting slightly to give him my back. When I didn't feel his fingers after a minute, I turned to look at him, standing in the same place as before, looking somewhat strangled and…nervous? No, it couldn't be nervous; Logan was the wolverine and the wolverine didn't get nervous.

"I…"

"Logan? Did you hear me?" I frowned, confused.

He swallowed visibly before walking toward me and I smiled, turning around again so he could reach my back easily. In a second, it was undone, and I was sliding it down my arms, feeling much more comfortable now. I shifted to grab the flannel shirt and saw Logan looking in the other direction again. I pulled the shirt on; I wasn't surprised when it was way too big. "Done."

"Great," he walked over to the light switch near the door, waiting for me to slip under the sheets and get comfortable. As soon as I stopped moving, the light went out. My eyes adjusted quickly; there was enough moonlight coming in from the window with the curtains drawn back. It was actually pretty bright. A couple minutes passed and I realised he wasn't getting into bed.

"Logan?"

"What?" he asked, the voice coming from the other side of the bed. I slid across, my head peeking out the side, my hair falling down, landing on his stomach and chest. He didn't brush the strands away. One arm was tucked under his head, the other was hovering above his eyes as he lifted it to see me.

I tilted my head to the side, contemplating him, "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doin'?" he quipped.

"Sleeping on the floor." He nodded. "But why?"

"Because yer on tha bed," he said simply.

"But there's enough room for you too," I frowned. He didn't move and didn't acknowledge the truth to my statement. He probably already knew. I bit my lip, "Now I feel bad. It's your bed, I'll sleep on the floor."

'Thea, it's fine," he said lowly.

"No it's not," I said stubbornly, shifting to get out of the bed to lay on the floor. "It's your bed. I'm sleeping on the floor."

"Thea, stay in tha bed," he commanded, but I was already slipping out, the sheets tangling around my legs and instead of standing and stepping over him, I fell out of the bed, landing on him. There was an 'oof' of surprise as I pushed myself upright, laughing.

"Sorry," I said, sitting upright, my hands braced on his broad chest, my legs straddling his waist. The moon shone down on us, making the exposed skin of my legs look slightly shimmery, his massive shirt pushed up to my hips where his hands seemed to hover above me, unsure what to do. My hands were against bare skin as well, and I realised her had no shirt on. He must have taken it off. I wasn't complaining.

We just looked at each other, and for the first time I realised how much of a compromising position we were in. how easy it would be to just lean down and kiss him, to trail my hands over the expanse of hard muscle, to have him touch me too. I bit my lip, but it didn't occur to me to move off him. "Thea…"

"Yes?" I said quickly, almost breathless. _Kiss me_, I said to myself, _grab my arms, pull me to you and kiss me senseless._

His eyes snapped shut, almost like he was groaning in pain, "Can yah please get off me?" he asked lowly, gravelly, raspy.

I really didn't want to. I considered it for a second, "Only if you'll sleep on the bed."

"Thea," he growled, annoyed.

"Logan," I said, attempting to growl as well, imitating his annoyed voice and doing a poor job. "I gave you my ultimatum. You have no other choice. You know, you're actually quite comfortable, I could totally sleep here for the night," I said, wriggling around as if to get comfortable for the night, to find a comfy spot on his body.

Suddenly, quick as a flash, he grabbed my wrists and rolled us around, so he was hovering above me, his body not touching mine anywhere. I bit my lip at the war going on in his eyes. He let go of me, bolting up, taking a step back from me. The sudden movement threw me for a second, but I pretended to get comfortable on the floor, "You're sleeping on the bed," I said, like that had been my whole plan, played out exactly how I thought.

"Thea," he said, this time it was a warning. It was amazing how he could say my name in so many different ways in such a short time frame. "Get on the bed," he ordered.

"Logan, the only way I'm sleeping on that bed is if you are too," I told him determinedly.

"_Fine_," he sighed, like I was being difficult.

"Yay," I jumped up, waiting for him to stretch out on the bed before going around the other side and slipping under the covers. "See? Plenty of room."

"Go to sleep," he replied.

"Already done," I said, closing my eyes and falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

><p><strong>Helloooo!<strong>

**So, sharing a bed, huh? In some countries, you can't do that unless you're married… Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and it was extra-long because it took me extra-long to update.**

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:**

**Is anyone else tired of them jumping around each other? It's fun to write, but I kind of want them together now. What do you guys think? Should they get together soon, or should I draw it out more? Also, I'm thinking of bumping this story up to M rating for upcoming chapters, so I hope no one is bothered by this…**

**So, I suppose it's been a while since I last updated, and probably will be again what with all my uni assignments and stuff I have to do. Which sucks. I'd definitely prefer to be writing this.**

**Which brings me to the reviews – guys, we've reached over 100! I can't believe it, I'm seriously gob smacked! Thank you so much!**

**Which brings me to my next point; I think I'll be doing one-shots for the 100****th**** reviewer, and from now on every quarter mark (i.e. 125****th**** reviewer, 150****th**** reviewer, etc.,). What does this mean for you guys? Well, simple; whoever was the 100****th**** reviewer can ask for anything they want between any characters they like, don't like, want to know more about, etc., for example, a one-shot that sums up Jubes' and Remy's relationship. And all that reviewer has to do is make the request in a review, or PM, letting me know what they want and that they were that reviewer. Of course, there's no obligation, you don't have to; it's just something I'd like to do for you guys to show how much your support means to me! Like brief little sides stories that could possibly be developed more.**

**So, the 100****th**** reviewer was **_**Sam Twilight.**_** So, **_**Sam Twlight,**_** is there anything you'd like? :D**

**If **_**Sam Twilight**_** doesn't want anything, but there is someone who really does, then let me know and I'll see what I can do :D**

**And on to the replies;**

**Ahsilaa****: **thank you so much! I have so much fun whenever I write Thea/Logan interaction, so I'm glad you're enjoying it as much as I am writing it! Thanks for reviewing a second time; it makes me super excited to see reviews from people who have reviewed before! I know this took a while to update, but forgive me?

**LoverOfWright: **Haha, thank you so much! I love that Thea is awkward too – it's so much fun to write! There are definitely some of her moments where I go, 'yeah, I know what that feels like', so I'm so glad you feel as though you can relate to some aspect of her character; I love characters that you can relate to and understand. Yay, no criticisms, I love no criticisms! Thank you so much for reviewing and I'm so glad you like this story so far! :D

**Lillylillyfairfax: **Heya, it's been a while since I heard from you, but thanks so much for coming back! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter, even though it felt like it was just a lead-up chapter that didn't have that much going on in it, but thank you for saying my story is awesome! (Seriously, made me grin like an idiot for the whole day, so thank you!) I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!

**Ayame Chiyoko: **Hey, of course you were in the replies :D Now that I'm writing them at the end, everyone who reviews will go into the replies :D I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter! It was so much fun to write, especially the Victoria Secret part! I'm thinking she'll definitely use them on him ;P Rising sexual tension much? LOL! Thanks so much for reviewing again!

**ELECTRA13: **Haha, I'm so glad you like the chapters, and hopefully you enjoyed this one as much as the others :D it's fantastic that you love this story and want to see it play out! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Guest: **First of all, thanks so much for reviewing! Second of all, were you the person who reviewed chapters 1, 2, 5 and 16? I only think this because the reviews were in ascending order one after the other. If not, sorry to you four different people, but this message applies to all of you; thank you so much! I'm really glad you like my story so far, and the friendship between the girls (mention in review for chapter 2); they're fun to write together, and I really want them to have this close bond. I'm super excited you like it so far, and I hope you'll continue to like it!

**Guest (Kyber ?): **Oh My God, thank you so much! I wouldn't say I'm an amazing writer, but you're just so sweet to say so anyway (honestly, you'll give me a big head)! And I'm relieved you think I'm portraying Logan's character right; I struggle to keep him in character and I actually think he's the hardest to write (Jubes being the easiest, and most fun ;P), so for you to say I'm getting it right is a massive relief! Thank you so much for taking the time to review and say such nice things, really. Yeah, I've read a lot of those stories too, with Logan like that, and I think you've summed him up really well with being intimately aggressive because of being a feral, before pulling away and being flustered behind his steely mask. It's actually kind of adorable :D Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Sam Twilight: **Yeah, Thea is naïve like that, but she's sweet. Thank you so much for reviewing chapter 4 and 15; I'm glad you think it's been a good story so far. Thanks so much for pointing out the mistake about it being her second kiss; now that you mention it, I remember writing something to that affect in a previous chapter, so I'll have to fix up chapter 15 – thanks for that! I hate when I forget details like that! Anyway, did you read my authors note above? If so, just let me know if there's anything, but it's totally cool if there isn't either. Thanks so much for reviewing!

**ScreamBecauseNoOneIsListening: **Hahahaha! Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you're liking this story so far! I hope you liked this chapter and it was worth the wait :D Haha, I actually thought you were going to threaten me, not say something was going to happen to you if I didn't update soon, LOL! Don't you just love those mind blanks? (They happen to me all the time when I'm in the middle of saying something to people, and then they end up looking at me funny). BTW, I love your username; it's awesome :D

**OzeraBand:** Well, hi there stranger :D (I don't know if you are aware but you review the story I'm co-authoring with DancerOfDanger) Thank you so much for reviewing this story too! YES! Thea totally has Logan wrapped around her little finger! Haha, poor Logan, I think he's beginning to see that for himself ;P

**Skitter-Experiment: **Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you like where I'm going with this so far and that you'd like to read more! Hopefully, you liked this chapter too because I certainly liked writing it :D Thank you so much for taking the time to review!

**SpiritedWriter9797: **Aw, thank you so much, you're so sweet! I'm just…elated would be a good word, that you're liking it so much and that it's interesting enough to keep your attention after you should have gone to bed, though sorry it's kept you up late :D (Secretly, I like that it's kept you up late :D) Haha, I know the feeling! It'll be past midnight, and I'd be like 'Just one more chapter', or 'I'm almost finished reading it' and I'll be struggling to keep my eyes open! I'm so glad you think it's wonderful, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! And thanks for reviewing!

**Ellie: **Yay, I'm so glad you love this story, you have no idea! I'm so glad you are enjoying the connection between Thea and Logan (it's fun to write), and I know – I want them to get together already too! Thank goodness you don't think she's a Mary Sue! I'm always worried when I write her that she may come across like that, but I'm so glad to hear (read) you say that she isn't, and that you can relate to her! I love relatable characters, so that's like a mega-compliment, so thank you very much! Aw, shucks, you think me and this story are amazing! You're making me blush (and also giving me a big head), but thank you so much, that's really nice :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!

**CyanMaterialGirl: **Thank you so much, I'm so glad you love this story! I know it was a fairly long wait for this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it and thought that it was at least somewhat worth the wait :D Thank you so much!


	18. Chapter 18

My head pounded.

Even with my eyes closed it felt bright. Too bright for me to handle.

My throat felt dry, like sand paper when I swallowed.

There was a horrible taste in my mouth.

God, my head hurt.

And where was all that light coming from, for Christ sakes!

Only then was I aware that my body seemed to be gently rising and falling. What in the world…? I groaned softly in my sleepy haze, frowning and trying to go back to sleep. I was comfortable and judging from my head, it wasn't time for me to be awake yet. There seemed to be a sort of low, reverberating, barely audible growl coming from under me and my head jerked up, eyes snapping open when it dawned on me that my bed didn't make sounds.

Logan was lying on his back, one arm behind his head, and the other wrapped around my waist firmly, his fingers grazing the skin of my hip where the shirt had ridden up past my underwear. A blanket covered us both and I was sprawled on his chest, one leg wrapped around one of his own. We were lying together very intimately and a warm blush heated my cheeks as I looked up at him from his chest, wondering if maybe I could untangle myself from him while he was still asleep, but my eyes locked with dark black ones and I knew there was no chance of that. I blushed even more.

"Um…hi?" I offered weakly, slowly pushing myself up from his chest and looked at him, unable to move any further with his arm around me. God, was that my voice? It sounded terrible, all raspy and dry. His eyes dropped down before shooting back up almost immediately and I looked down. Oh, God, I was wearing his shirt. I was wearing his freaking shirt! And because it was big on me, the neckline dropped right down and if you looked, you'd see my breasts, which were uncovered. Where was my bra? Better question; why did I have no bra on? Oh my God, what happened last night? My head hurt so bad, if only I could remember over the pounding. Suddenly he jerked his arm off me, like he only just realised what I was waiting for and I rolled off him, untangling our legs. Cooler air hit me and I noticed how warm I had been on Logan, how content. "Oh my God, my head," I groaned.

What time was it? I looked down at my watch. 12:30. Holy crap I'd slept half of the day away. At least it was the holidays.

The bed vibrated, like he was silently laughing. "I told yah."

Everything was bombarding me at once; it felt like my sense were extra sensitive right now, the light coming in from the window, the sound of his voice and a bird singing outside, the feeling of material against my skin, the smell of him everywhere, the disgusting taste in my mouth, like something died there; it was all too strong, too much for me to handle and I scrunched my eyes shut, breathing deeply as I tried to think around the physical sensations.

Bits and pieces from last night floated back to me slowly, disjointed, not really making much sense, but thankfully my state of dress suddenly became clear. I was relieved for all of a minute before more memories hit me and I groaned in defeat and embarrassment, "Oh God, please tell me I didn't actually start undressing on your bed…please tell me it's just a really embarrassing dream." When he didn't reply, I looked over and he got up, walking into the bathroom, "Oh God, that bad? What else did I do? What did I say?"

I got up, stumbling my way to the bathroom door after a bout of light-headedness and knocking on it, "Please tell me!"

The door swung open and I took a couple steps back when I saw he still had no shirt on. And like the idiot I was, I stared for a moment before snapping out of it and looking up at him, "You have to tell me what I said, all of it. Don't leave any of it out. I have to know how much of a fool I made of myself."

I sat back down on his bed because standing up wasn't helping the pounding in my head, and waiting impatiently. It wasn't that I didn't remember, it was more that I remembered more clearly when there was someone or something to prompt my memory. His lips pursed, like he was trying to hold back a grin, "Yer kinda funny when yer drunk…yah talk more and yah can't keep a secret to yerself."

I groaned. "What did I say? What did I do?" I demanded.

This time he did grin, "Well, yah were goin' ta go sleep in Pyro's room, then in Nightcrawlers', and a couple others'…then there was somethin' about being on good terms with a chair, and yer were goin' to sleep on the stairs because yer legs weren't working…and something about a steel vault…"

Being on good terms with a chair? What was I thinking? Clearly, at that time it had seemed like a good idea. A steel vault? What had I been…oh, no. Oh, no, I was such an idiot. The one time I drank, I embarrassed myself so badly; I told him I wanted him to kiss me again! What was wrong with me? And I told him those secrets about Jubes and Kitty and Rogue…they'd kill me if they found out! I guess I knew what kind of drunk I was; a truthful, talkative one. Then again, I think I had just wanted to share my secrets with him.

With every word, the memories flowed back to me, slightly obscured when I was drinking and dancing, but the conversations with Logan…they were stuck in my head, crystal clear, and my cheeks warmed up, "Stop, stop, okay, I really embarrassed myself. "

I walked into his bathroom, closing the door behind me, needing privacy, needing to be away from him, because just knowing he was witness to my drunken antics was embarrassing enough. I looked in the mirror straight in front of me and sighed. I was a mess; there were purple bags under my red-rimmed eyes, the eyeliner and mascara smeared, giving me panda eyes, the red lipstick was half rubbed off, uneven colouring over my lips, my hair looked like I'd gone sky diving and hadn't brushed it in weeks. His shirt was massive on me, the sleeves pushed up, though they kept slipping down, the hem reaching half way down my thighs.

I turned on the tap, splashing water on my face and trying to scrub off the makeup. It was stubborn. I rinsed my mouth out, deciding to brush my teeth as soon as possible.

Okay, so maybe I was trying to distract myself by doing things. Maybe it wasn't really a big deal; if I remember right, he had been kind of amused most of the time. But I must have been so embarrassing, especially when I insisted he…oh, god, _when I insisted he sleep with me_. No wonder he'd been so uncomfortable. He'd been nice, afforded me space, let me sleep in his bed for Christ sakes, and I'd gone and demanded he sleep with me. Why was I still here? It was time to get out of here and avoid him for the next year. Yeah, that sounded good.

_Oh, who are you kidding? _An irritating voice in the back of my mind spoke up, _you're a glutton for punishment. You won't be able to stay away from him for too long. You'll never last._

_Thanks for the vote of confidence._

I opened the door and he was still standing in the same spot, like he had no idea what to do. "I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. I'm going to go."

My neck prickled in embarrassment, my face heating up until I just had to get away from him, couldn't bear to be around him. I couldn't believe I said those things to him! Now would be a good time for the earth to open up and swallow me. Way to make myself seem like a moron with a crush on him. What must he think of me?

I was halfway down the corridor when Jubes, Rogue and Kitty were rushing and stumbling up the stairs, their eyes bloodshot, deep purple bags under them, but distinct looks of worry on their faces until they turned the corner and froze. Jubes let out a long whistle.

"Talk about a walk of shame," she grinned at me, though her face was already twisted up into an expression of pain and discomfort. I guess they were feeling the effects of last night too.

"Shut it," I growled, face still red. This was really all her fault; she wanted a party, she gave me drinks, so every embarrassing thing I said and did was all her fault. Deep down, I knew it wasn't really; she didn't force me to drink. It was my own fault. But I wasn't going to admit it. I was never drinking again.

The door at the end of the hall opened and Logan stood there, bare chested in only a pair of black boxers, looking incredibly good, and holding my bra in one hand and my dress in the other. Behind me, they began chortling, trying to stifle their laughs.

I stomped down the hallway and took my clothing from him, glaring at his amused smirk, before snapping, "You didn't find it so funny last night." That got rid of the smirk, and he re-entered his room, closing the door in my face.

"And to think," Jubes said behind me, "We came up here all panicked when we woke up and you weren't there, to get Logan to help us find you, and here you are…in his shirt."

"Looking like you had a much more fun night then we did," Rogue added, waggling her eyebrows.

"Can it," I snapped, brushing past them, not at all in the mood to deal with their teasing.

Kitty caught up to me, biting her lip before, "Did you…did you sleep with him?"

"Kitty!" I near shouted. "No!"

"Don't take it out on her, we all wanted to know," Rogue said quickly.

"Oh, now you want to stick up for her? Last night you were calling her a baby," I said, exasperated.

"I was?" she looked taken aback, before turning to Kitty, "Sorry."

"No hard feelings," Kitty said easily.

"Look don't get angry at us for forming a valid opinion; you walk out of his room wearing his shirt, your hair is a mess, your face is red as a tomato, what are we supposed to think?" Jubes said, cutting through, squinting at the light coming in through the window as we walked into our room.

I sighed, "Your right, I'm sorry for being grouchy, but seriously…which of you did that? Because I am _not_ cleaning it up," I pointed disgustedly at my bed.

Jubes shuffled her feet, coughing, "Uh, I don't know…"

"Your cleaning it up," I told her and she sighed.

"Totally worth it. My plan worked great," she said, suddenly calling it a plan.

"Your plan? You planned to vomit on my bed?" I asked drily, raising an eyebrow. "Just so you know, we're switching mattresses."

"Okay, so long as every time you lay down on it you're not plagued with images of all the _fun_ things Remy and I did on it," she shrugged, appearing nonchalant because she knew I wouldn't sleep on it now. I grumbled obscenities at her and she just grinned, "You're welcome."

"I didn't even thank you. I don't even have anything to thank you for," I snapped, grabbing clothing and heading for a shower. And then after the shower, I was going in search of aspirin.

"Sure you do. If I hadn't vomited on your bed, you never would have had the opportunity to spend the night with Wolvie," she grinned.

"Jubes, I –"

"Hate me," she sighed, "I know. But come on, it was totally worth it, right? Sleeping next to a shirtless wolverine? Worth it right?" she pushed and I walked into the shower, not answering. She banged on the door, "You're so cruel! We have to live vicariously through you, and you won't even share the smutty details!"

I opened the door, "Okay, first of all, you all have boyfriends, so if anything, I should be living vicariously through you guys. Second of all, there was no smut to share to begin with, and thirdly, you're exasperating! Being your friend is exhausting!" I quickly closed the door again.

She banged on the door again, "You love being my friend, don't pretend any different."

I quickly showered; the scalding hot water offering only momentary relief. As soon as I shut the taps off, I went right back to feeling awful. Rogue offered me some aspirin when I re-emerged and I took them gratefully. Jubes was in the process of cleaning my bed and I gagged. I had to get away from that, it was so disgusting.

I took Logan's shirt down to the laundry room to wash it before returning it. The noise of the washing machine made the pounding of my head worse, and I left, needing to get away, to go somewhere quiet and peaceful. The woods. Of course.

I sat down quickly, feeling dizzy. My head hurt and I collapsed against the rough bark of a tree, closing my eyes. I got about ten minutes of peace before a bird started chirping in the branches above me. It made me jump at first, but after about three continuous minutes of high-pitched chirping, I groaned.

"Shut up!" I snapped at it before grimacing, "Oh, god, I just yelled at a bird! And now I'm talking to myself."

"Most people don' do that," a gruff voice said and I jumped again. I'd been too focused on the annoying bird to pay attention to anybody running through. A thin layer of sweat covered Logan's body and he was panting slightly and I swallowed.

The bird kept chirping and I groaned, eyes closing, "How can you be running at this time of the morning?"

"It's two in tha afternoon," he pointed out, "and I'm not tha one with a hangover."

"I don't have - ," I groaned, "okay, okay, I've got a hangover, but that bird, ugh! How can you stand it?"

I jumped up, concentrating on the air around me, and making myself float up the tree, searching for the damn bird. I swayed in mid-air slightly. The pounding in my head made it difficult to concentrate on the air. The bird sat on a branch, belting it's tune, but as soon as it saw me getting closer, it took flight, trying to get away from me. I wobbled my way back down to the ground, fingers trailing over the branches in case my control slipped and I suddenly fell out of the tree.

"That's so much better!" I sighed.

Logan snorted a laugh like grunt before turning and taking off running again. I admit, I watched his butt. I collapsed to the ground again, leaning back into the tree and closing my eyes. Slowly, I drifted into a sleep.

I jerked awake to a bird's song and I wondered if it was the same damn bird. The sun was much lower now and I got up, heading back to the mansion, and to the laundry. I put his shirt in the dryer and waited.

The pounding in my head had decreased slightly, though it was still painful and it still made it difficult to concentrate. When the shirt was dry, I took it upstairs to Logan's room. I knocked on his door softly, sure he was back from his run by now. He didn't answer, so I pushed the door open slightly and peeking my head in, "Logan?" I asked quietly. I head a shower running and figured he must be washing after his run. He was probably sweaty.

And now I was thinking of a naked, sweaty Logan. Jesus, I was glad I was the telepath and not him! I'd just leave the shirt on his bed then.

I blinked in the din, the curtains closed and not letting any of the now fading light into the room, but the bed…was stripped. The sheets looked like they had been yanked off the bed, placed in a haphazard pile next to the bed and back a bit. The mattress was bare. When I had slept there, the sheets were clean. They had smelt like they'd been washed recently. Why would he need to wash them again.

It was none of my business and I walked forward, stepping slightly over the pile of sheets to place the folded shirt on the end of the bare bed. When I went to retract my hand, I was hit with a premonition, a jolt going through me and I winced slightly. It didn't help my sore head.

_The mattress was in front of me, the shirt folded._

"_Thea?" Logan asked from behind me. I hadn't heard the shower taps turn off, or him open the door._

_I jerked, straightening up quickly having been caught, and turned. My feet tangled in the sheets right behind me and when I tried to take a step, but my feet were restricted and I fell forward, my hands reaching out and grabbing the only thing close enough to. Logan's towel, slung casually around his hips._

_I hit the ground with a thump, the landing forcing air out of me. I didn't realise what had happened, and I looked up, which was stupid of me. A deliciously naked Logan was right in front of me, not bothering to cover himself up and I tried to close my eyes. _

_My eyes were stuck on Logan's member, and he coughed, interrupting my ogling. My face heated._

And I was back in my body.

I yanked my hand back so forcefully, I swung myself around just as I heard Logan say "Thea?"

My feet twisted in the sheets again and I found myself falling again. It was an odd sensation to fall, not get up but then fall again. My hands flailed out, finding purchase on soft material, but I was still falling, bringing that soft material with me. Oh god, I knew what was next, I knew what was going to happen. I wouldn't look up. I braced myself for the fall.

But I didn't land on the ground. Instead, in less than a second I was hauled upwards mid-fall, pain shooting through my shoulder at the sharp movement, before being pressed against Logan's bare chest as he stopped my fall. His damp skin wet my shirt and the material clung to me uncomfortably.

I blinked, my wide, astonished eyes locked straight on Logan's. Oh, God, don't think about the fact that he's naked, don't think about it!

Great, now I was thinking about it.

His towel hung from my hand and I dropped it, like it had burned me. My other hand was locked on his shoulder, gripping tightly from where it had landed when he jerked me up.

This wasn't what happened in the vision! I was supposed to fall and see…well, what I saw! This was ten times worse, because now I knew what he was packing _and_ I was pressed right against it! Why was this different?

Oh. Because I had reacted before he said my name, so he had a split-second longer to prepare, to catch me.

And my mind went into overdrive; I couldn't stop the thoughts. He was naked. He was right there, so damn close. I could smell him, it surrounded me, worked its way through my system, clouding my already clouded mind with the complete male-ness of it. And I wanted to move closer to that smell, breathe it in more. My eyes dropped to his lips. He was so close. Right there. How many times had I just wanted to kiss him, press my lips to his? It was wrong. I shouldn't. I wanted to.

I was going to, and I launched my lips at him, arms tightening around him. His lips, so perfect, so rough and tormenting, took a surprised second to response, and he pulled me to him closer, completely against his nakedness. He moved his lips against mine, but I didn't lose myself in it. I wanted to, I even went through with actually kissing him this time, but my mind just wouldn't shut up. It was like, when I finally did something I'd been wanting to, my mind wouldn't let me just go with, instead driving me crazy with incessant thoughts. My head just seemed too crowded with all the thoughts racing through there, like it was a freaking highway. My skin heated to boiling point, so hot.

_Stop it Thea._

_Don't stop._

_You shouldn't be doing this; this is morally wrong. You know that!_

_Shut up! I could easily lose my head with the way his lips moved against mine; it feels so good, it feels _right_._

_Enough of this!_

_No!_

_STOP!_

Logan let go of me, grunting in a pained way as he looked at where my hands were holding onto his bare back.

Flames danced on my palms and fingers, leaping up, licking my skin. Burning Logan's. Then the smell hit me, the smell of burning flesh. I gaged, lurching my hands away from him in a hurry and crying out. "Oh my God!"

I took steps away from him, horror-filled eyes stuck on the marks on his back. The broken, blackened skin, the red marks, the blisters. My stomach heaved. "Logan!" I went to go to him, but he held his hands up to stop me.

The marks began to heal, "I'm so sorry!"

His jaw clenched in pain as the skin began to re-knit itself, to grow back, unmarked, "It's fine Thea."

"No it's not! I can't believe I lost control like that! I _hurt_ you!" I said, voice cracking slightly, "I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," he said again, reassuringly.

"God, I shouldn't have done that!" I backed away from him, towards the door.

"Thea," Logan said, seeing my movement.

But I couldn't be here, couldn't be around, for Christ sakes. Just look at what happened when I kissed him! I kiss him and I lose control. Is that some kind of messed up sign from the universe or what?

"I'm so sorry!" I whispered, before closing the door and separating him from my view.

I hurried away from his room, down the stairs and back to the woods. The peaceful atmosphere was what I needed to clear my head, my addled brain. It seemed, it's where I went to think. And I needed to think. But…

I was also totally running away from Logan. Avoiding him.

This whole inner-conflict thing I was having really kind of sucked.

**Hey,**

**REWRITTEN: from the premonition down 3/6/13.**

**So I hope you liked this chapter! I just love yanking on their strings!**

**Thanks guys for your input about whether to have them dance around longer or hurry it up. The general consensus seems to be to slowly get more serious, so that's what I'm going to try. :D**

**Also, thanks for letting me know about the rating change, that most of you seem okay with it!**

**So, a couple of you have asked to be let into Logan's mind; what his take on all of this is, so as requested by Ahsilaa, I'll write a short one-shot of chapter 17 of 'Falling For Him' from Logan's POV, just to give you guys a little taste. It might be a while, though, because I find it very hard to write from Logan's POV, and every time I do, I feel like I've messed it up.**

**So, wow! We're at 127 reviews guys! I'm just so gobsmacked! I didn't think I'd get so many! You guys are just so sweet! Thank you!**

**And the 125****th**** reviewer is Trustbroccoli23, so if there's anything in particular you'd like me to write, between any characters/situations etc, just let me know, and I'll get on it too! :D**

**Anyway, onto the replies;**

**Ahsilaa: **I'm glad you liked the chapter and that you thought it was funny! I was aiming for funny! Yeah, Thea's funny when she's drunk! I'm pretty sure I PM'ed you about the oneshot from Logan's perspective, but if I didn't let me know. My memory kinda sucks! Thanks so much for reviewing again!

**Dundeegirl21: **Oh yeah, things are definitely getting serious! I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter; and I'm glad you liked drunk Thea; she's a lot of fun to write! I think you're right; it's time to make things more serious between them, but not overly so. Haha, thanks for your input! It makes things easier to write! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Ellie: **Thank you, I'm happy you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! I mentioned above about doing a one-shot from Logan's POV, which will be his POV from the last chapter, which I will try my best with. Getting into Logan's head is extremely hard for me! Thanks so much for reviewing, it means so much to me!

**HeyHeyItsRae: **Aw, thank you so much; you're just too sweet! I'm super excited you like my writing and that you liked the last chapter! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! Thanks so much for reviewing! :D

**Dani: **thanks so much, I'm glad you adore Thea (I adore her too!), and she's definitely funny when she's drunk! Haha, I'm glad you want her and Logan together because I want them together already too! Haha, I love that you like their chemistry! I mentioned above about the one-shot for Logan's thoughts; it'll be his POV of the last chapter, so I hope you enjoy that when I finish it! Thanks for reviewing!

**Kmacc: **Thank you so much! I'm glad you love my story, haha, I want them together too! I'm glad you don't have a problem with a rating change! Thanks for letting me know! :D And thanks so much for reviewing!

**Risika Kiisu Seto: **Haha, good idea; I'll have them dance around for another chapter (this one) and maybe the next, depending on what I come up with, and hopefully they'll be together soon! I wanna see them together too! Thanks so much for reviewing again!

**OzeraBand: **Bahaha! Lol, lucky I told you then, haha! Nah, it's fine that you didn't realise it was me; I'll try to forgive you :D Haha, thank you! I'm glad you liked the drunken dialect; it was fun to write, though difficult! Though I've had plenty of inspiration (my friends often get themselves drunk at parties). I'm glad you wanted this next chapter! Thanks so much for reviewing (DancerOfDanger should be finishing her chapter on the other story really soon!)!

**Crystalskies14: **Aw, thank you! I'm glad you love my story that much! No, that's just fine that you haven't reviewed other chapters, haha, you only just found it! It's super sweet of you to review now! Thank you! Awh, you're going to inflate my ego! I'm super excited that you like my writing and that you think I've managed to get a handle on everyone's personalities. And I'm glad you like the plot too! Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Wolfs rain lover 123: **My sentiments exactly! Drunk Thea is totally awesome! And kind of ditzy…haha! Thanks so much for reviewing again!

**Wolverine's insomniac: **Aw, aren't you just a bowl of sugar, all sweet and everything! I'm glad you like my way of writing (sometimes I'm 100% sure that what I'm writing makes no sense, so it's a relief when someone says they like it)! Aw, I do try, haha, thank you! I'm glad you think I've got Logan's character right! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Vampheart410: **Bahaha, I'm glad you found it amusing! It was funny to write, having them fight over who'll sleep on the bed, and Thea's pretty stubborn when she's drunk! I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you liked this chapter too! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Ryuno chu: **Thank you very much, I'm glad you like the way it's written and it's pace! And thank you for letting me know you think Thea's a little Sue-ish. Would you mind explaining how? It's just that I see Thea as a normal, morally driven, goal-orientated, hard working girl, who can be quite shy about speaking about intimate stuff, because her relationship with her mother is practically non-existent, so she's had no one to actually talk to that stuff about, and she's kind of withdrawn because of her brother's death at such a young age. Her friends manage to pull a different side out of her. Wow, that was a long explanation…anyway, that's how I see her, so the point I tried to make was that I see her in a certain way, which can be different from others, so I'm not sure how you see her. So, I'd be grateful if you could let me know in which ways you think she's Sue-ish so I can work at rectifying it :D Thank you :D

**xErikax: **Yeah, I feel the same about having them jump around each other constantly, and they obviously can't just go at it suddenly, so I'm trying to work my way there :D. Haha, thank you :D Bahaha, yeah that was definitely fun to write! Thank you so much for taking the time to review! :d

**twirlgirl4life1: **Thank you so much, I'm glad you're liking it so far and are interested in reading what'll happen next. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks so much for reviewing! And I totally agree; Wolverine is extremely sexy! ;P

**MizukiArsenus: **Hi, thank you so much for inviting me to that, but I'm afraid I'm not able to get inside Logan's head properly to portray him right, from his POV. Thank you so much for considering me :D

**PLLML: **Aw, shucks :D that's just super nice of you :D I'm glad you seem to like y story so much! Haha, okay, I'm thinking the general consensus is to bump it up a notch! Which I will gladly do :D Good, I'm glad you're all for the rating change :D Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you think this is one of the best Logan/OC stories you've ever read! Thank you! You're totally inflating my ego, haha! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Trustbroccoli23: **Haha, thank you! I'm glad you like the way I portray Logan, in his gruffiness! (Haha, gruffness is a word, but gruffiness isn't haha, though it describes him well!). Aw, stop, you're making me big-headed here! I'm glad you like my writing and story! Yeah, I agree, I'm going to make them get progressively more serious, though still slowly, because you're right; Logan probably wouldn't have had much experience with relationships, especially not making one last for long, and Thea is still pretty young for him! Currently, I have it at about ten years difference, though I think having Logan approximately 27 still makes him maybe a bit too young. Oh, yay! Cookies with chocolate chips! My favourite! Thanks so much for reviewing! Oh, also, I mentioned above, that you're the 125th reviewer, so is there anything you'd like to read/want me to write? :D

**Guest (Kyber): **Aw, you're just too sweet! I don't know how my head's going to fit through doorways now with your compliments! Haha, I'm sure glad you think I've managed to get Logan's character perfect! He's so difficult to portray, that I'm almost certain I'm doing it wrong. Then someone says something like that, and it's like 'thank goodness!'. Haha, I hope this chapter lived up to your morning expectations! Thanks so much for reviewing again! It means a lot to me! :D

**Just a Little HippieChild: **Haha, aw, thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! Bahahaha! Yes! My mind keeps thinking the same thing and I'm like, 'soon. It'll happen soon!' Haha, thanks so much for reviewing, I'm super glad you like it! Wow, your favourite?! Aw, thank you! That's so sweet of you! Haa, yes, LOVE the sexy Wolvie. Thank you!

**Thank you guys so much! You make my day!**

**:D**


End file.
